Wedding Bell Blues
by Geeky BMWW Fan
Summary: Formerly Untitled BMWW Bruce ends things with Diana and must deal with the consequences of a decision he has come to greatly regret. Diana tries to shoulder the burden alone. It doesn't help that the relationships of everyone around them are going so well
1. Almost Lover

Disclaimer: I don't own these characters. **:D**

Thanks KN for beta-ing this thing. I pass onto you an avocado of gratefulness. Use it wisely. And while I'm at it, why not...you can have NMWCTM, as well. Though why you'd want it is beyond me.

I guess I am in a kind of angsty mood, though not really. I am writing this story more for the ending than the beginning, but in order to get the characters where I want them to be at the finish line, they have to go through some emotional, spiritual, and relational valleys first. I guess I would liken this to a deeper version of another of my stories, The Real Thing. Anyway, I hope you enjoy it.

* * *

**Wedding Bell Blues**

**Chapter One:**

**Almost Lover**

* * *

I cannot go to the ocean, I cannot drive the streets at night, I cannot wake up in the morning  
Without you on my mind  
So you're gone and I'm haunted  
And I bet you are just fine

Did I make it that easy to walk right in and out of my life?

Goodbye, my almost lover  
Goodbye, my hopeless dream  
I'm trying not to think about you  
Can't you just let me be?

_Almost Lover _by A Fine Frenzy

* * *

It was their six month anniversary, and Diana was excited. She had lived in Man's World long enough to know the significance of relationship milestones. Shayera had told her of the things John had done for all the big events of their relationship, and Diana was confident that Bruce could outdo anything John ever did. She knew she was greatly influenced by the fact she was head over heels in love with him, but Bruce was known within their circles as the smartest man alive, and Diana wholeheartedly believed that. Still, she tried to lower her expectations. They had many dates interrupted by their League duties and calls from the commissioner. Diana said a quick prayer as she walked up the steps to the Manor, petitioning Aphrodite for a wonderful night. Maybe he would even tell her that he loved her.

Before she could even ring the bell, Alfred's smiling face welcomed her into Bruce's home.

"Hello, Princess Diana."

"Good evening, Alfred. How are you this evening?"

"Never better, my dear." He ushered her in and led her to the dining room.

Diana quickly surveyed the room, suppressing a tiny squeal of delight. So Bruce _had_ gone all out. An elaborate spread covered the most exquisitely decorated table Diana had seen in her life. The scents of her favorite flowers mingled in the air due to the vases of freshly cut blooms peppering the room. Even the lights were down low, their illumination aided with the glow of candles. Strains of lovely music completed the beautiful atmosphere. The only thing missing was Bruce.

Diana turned two slightly disappointed eyes on Alfred, but her apprehension quickly disappeared when she was informed, "Master Bruce should be returning shortly. Please, sit down." Stepping up to a chair to the left of the head of the table, Alfred helped her to her seat and poured her a glass of lambrusco. "Now if you will excuse me. There are some things in the kitchen that need attending to." And with that, the butler disappeared.

After waiting impatiently for a few minutes, Diana could no longer sit still. Standing up, she made her way over to one of the vases. She ran her fingers over the velvety petals of a rose that Bruce had bred specifically for her. Her lips turned up at the corners just thinking about it. She leaned over to inhale the intoxicating blossom.

It was in that moment that Bruce quietly made his way into the room. He knew she was unaware of his presence, and he allowed himself to drink in the sight of her. The candlelight reflected off of her raven hair, causing blue highlights to appear. His eyes slowly traveled down the rest of her body, and his heart sped up as he looked over the loveliest woman in the world. She looked particularly gorgeous in a little black dress he had never seen before, and his face warmed with the knowledge that she had worn it just for him. But he had already made his choice, and he had to stand firm.

As he strengthened his resolve to end the best relationship in his life, Diana realized that he was there. The rapturous smile she bestowed on him made his insides twist with guilt and sadness.

He advanced toward her, and when she leaned in to kiss him, he made sure that her lips only connected with his cheek. She smiled oddly at him, and he assumed she would think he was just in another of his moods. Walking to the head of the table, he sat down before she did. The confusion in Diana's eyes was growing more visible by the second.

Taking her seat next to him, she reached across the table, and clasped one of his hands in hers. "You really outdid yourself, Bruce."

"It was all Alfred." A lie. Bruce had spent hours preparing this room. Hadn't even let Alfred see it.

"Oh."

Bruce knew he wouldn't be able to hold out if he didn't end this right away.

"Look, Diana, I know I have terrible timing, but I just don't think this is working out."

Her face fell, and she retracted her hand from his as if he had burned her. Knowing that he was watching, she quickly schooled her features into a look of utter placidity. She had learned many things from Bruce during the time that they had been together. Hiding her emotions shouldn't have been this easy. Actually, it had never been so hard, but she still half-heartedly thanked Hera that she hadn't burst into tears then and there.

Bruce was on the verge of opening his mouth, of telling her that it had been a horrible mistake and that he loved her, but she cleared her throat, and he waited in agonizing silence for her response.

Her lips formed a wry grin, which kept growing until all her teeth were displayed. "I was wondering when this would happen. Did you know that some people have been placing bets on this relationship? Wally will be disappointed that he thought we would last seven months." A tiny giggle escaped her, and Bruce stared at her in surprise. His heart was breaking, and she was laughing.

"Diana…"

"Oh, there's no need for explanations, Bruce. We had a good six months. If it had to end, at least it did on a high note. And at least you ended it in person. I've heard about your other break-ups."

Bruce didn't think it could get any worse, but he was wrong. "We weren't even that close anyway. Thank Hera. Imagine how awful this would have been if I had actually fallen in love with you."

Less than five years ago, Bruce had been stabbed, and while that knife had missed his heart by a few inches, he was able to extrapolate how painful it would have been if the criminal had found his target. So when Bruce felt as if a dagger had been thrust into his heart, he didn't question the sensation or downplay it as being an overly emotional response. If anything, he hurt more. This pain radiated all the way down to his soul.

"Bruce?"

"Yes?"

"Aren't you going to say anything?"

"In the future I don't think we should talk about this."

"I agree. I would like for things to go back to the way they were before we started dating. It will be better for everyone if they see that we are still able to work together, that we are both perfectly fine with this."

Diana slowly stood to her feet, and he followed her as she walked toward the front entrance, always staying two steps behind her. When she reached for the doorknob, he couldn't stop himself. "We're still friends, right?"

Hot tears pricked at the corners of Diana's eyes, but she told herself this wasn't the time to indulge in sorrow. Without turning around she calmly assured him, "Of course, Bruce," and then walked out of his life.

After the door shut behind her, Bruce turned toward the hall. Unable to walk away, he leaned back against the door, the old wood the only thing keeping him from falling. He brought one hand up to his face to cover his eyes. When he was certain that he wouldn't cry, he lowered his hand. Alfred's angry eyes entered his vision, silently accusing him.

Masking his grief with irritation, Bruce barked out, "What?!"

"I'm sure you already know, sir, and I am not going to waste my breath."

Bruce hung his head in defeat. Of course Alfred wouldn't see it his way, so there was no point in explaining or defending reasons that Bruce himself was growing more and more unsure of as the seconds passed and his sorrow increased exponentially.

Bruce's head snapped up when he felt Alfred's hand on his shoulder. In a much gentler tone, the older man said, "You can still go after her. It's not too late."

"Why would I do that? It was for the best." _And even if it weren't_, he bitterly thought, _she has made it clear that she is 'perfectly fine' with my decision_.

Alfred had nothing left to say. Perhaps it was time for Bruce to pay for his pride and inability to be vulnerable, but it was with a heavy heart that he left his ward. As the butler walked away, he hoped that Bruce would learn from this incident and, in time, seek Diana out again, but it was a feeble hope.

As for Bruce, there was only one thing to do: throw himself back into his work. He took long, purposeful strides to the grandfather clock, but as soon as it closed behind him, all his energy deserted him. He shuffled down to his weapons cache, restocked his uniform, and unenthusiastically slipped into his armor. He would just have to put his personal problems on hold. Permanently. Gotham called.

Yet, in all his time as the Dark Knight, Bruce had never hated having to be Batman more than he did that night.

* * *

When the door had closed, Diana stood there for a minute, hoping against hope that Bruce would open the door and chase after her. When that didn't happen, she activated her com-link.

"Hello?" Clark's chipper voice sounded over the frequency.

"Will you teleport me back to the Watchtower please?"

"Of course. Give me just a second."

Within in a few moments, Diana was staring at her super friend. Summoning all her strength, she gave him a toothy grin. "Hi, Clark. I hope you're having a great night."

"I…uh, I hope you are too." By the way he was looking at her, she could tell he knew something was wrong. She silently thanked him for not asking her about it.

"Well, I think I need to go to sleep. I'm so tired."

"Goodnight, Diana."

"Night."

When the door to her quarters had slid shut, she slowly took off her shoes and placed them in her closet. Just as slowly, she removed her new dress, hung it on the hanger, covered it with plastic wrap and changed into a pair of pajamas. Working on auto-pilot, she made her way to the sink, brushed her teeth, and washed her face. Flipping off the light, she climbed into bed, pulled the covers over her head, and cried herself to sleep.

* * *

The next morning, Diana called Clark to her room.

When he saw how irritated and swollen her eyes looked he angrily asked, "What did he do now?"

"He dumped me."

Clark had warned her of this before when Bruce and she had first started dating, but Diana had assured him that she was willing to take the risk. He couldn't help but wondering if it had been worth it.

"What do you want me to do?"

"Absolutely nothing. I knew what I was getting into, and I will get through this."

"You do realize we have a Justice League meeting tomorrow night, right?"

"I'll be fine."

"If you keep crying, he's going to know."

She slowly nodded her head up and down and her lower lip began to quiver. Then she burst into tears again. Clark sat down with her on the bed and pulled her into a hug.

"Do you want me to tell Lois?"

"Not yet. She's probably busy with planning for your wedding. I don't want her to have to deal with my problems too."

"It's almost three months away. And you know Lois. She probably had the whole thing planned out the day after I proposed to her."

Clark should have known it was too soon for her to laugh. Her pitiful sigh wrenched his heart.

"Seriously, Diana, let me tell her. In fact, I think you should go visit her today."

"Why?"

"Because Lois has been through bad break-ups before. She can help you. He was your first, right?"

"Yes, he was my first boyfriend."

"That's not what I meant."

"Oh. No. It never got that far."

"Well, that's good. It probably would have hurt more if you had."

"It gets worse than this?"

"Sometimes I forget that you haven't dated anyone but Bruce." He looked up apologetically at her. "Sorry. That came out wrong. The amount of pain people feel isn't in proportion to the number of people they've dated, but to the extent that they loved. And I know you have such a big heart; big hearts hurt the most when they are broken, because they've loved the most."

But that didn't really comfort Diana the way Clark had hoped. "I feel so stupid."

"Why would you feel stupid?"

"You told me this would happen. And let's not forget the whole Amazon culture that has trained me to be wary of men…If I hadn't given so much to him, I wouldn't be hurting like this. I feel so weak. And over a man."

"There is nothing weak in loving someone. I actually think it is harder to do than what Bruce does. He is so scared of getting hurt that he just runs away. At least you are brave enough to face the possibilities and take risks. Don't ever feel bad for loving someone or being hurt by the loss of a loved one. It's part of being human."

"I keep praying that the gods will give him back to me, but part of me wonders how he could even have let me go. He must not have loved me." She sighed and wearily concluded, "And if that's the case, it is better to be alone than to be with someone who doesn't even want to be with me."

"Diana, I seriously doubt that's why he broke up with you. He probably loved you more than anything in his life, and that scared him. I'm sorry that he's such a coward."

"Please don't say that about him."

"You aren't dating him anymore; you don't have to defend him."

"Just because we aren't dating doesn't mean that I have to turn him into the enemy either."

"It would make it easier."

"I know, but I can't hate him. Even now."

"I'm really sorry, Diana. Just say the word, and I'll pummel for you."

"Clark, you will _not _say or do anything to him. He doesn't know that I'm a mess. Besides, if I wanted him crippled, I'd do it myself…"

"How could he not know? Did he break up with you over the phone?!" Diana watched as Clark's hands curled into fists.

"No. I lied through my teeth."

"And he didn't call you on it?"

She smiled sadly. "It seems I'm a better liar than we both thought."

"So can I tell Lois that you will visit her later today?"

"Maybe. I actually might have some plans of my own."

"Ok, but if you need anything, _anything,_you let us know, alright?"

" Fine. And if Bruce asks…"

"—I'll tell him that I've never seen you happier."

"No need to overdo it. Just tell him you haven't noticed a change. That is, if he even asks…"

"He will."

Diana hugged Clark one last time, and he quietly left the room.

* * *

The following night, Bruce walked into the conference room. As usual, he was the last one to arrive. Or so he thought. When he took his seat, he noticed that the chair to his left—_her chair— _was empty. Superman began the meeting before he had the chance to say anything about it, not that he would.

Luckily for Bruce, Wally asked about the missing heroine.

"Diana was called to Themyscira."

Wally's mouth gaped open in dejection. "And she didn't ask for help?"

"What part of 'woman-only' island do you not understand?" John scowled at the man in scarlet. Lantern had grown irritated with how Wally would lament about not being invited to Themyscira every time the magical island was mentioned. _Every_ time.

All eyes turned to Batman as he asked, "Did she say anything about the nature of the visit?"

_Yes, but I'm not telling you, Bruce, because you're a jackass._ Deciding that was too petulant an answer, Clark cheerily replied, "Nothing out of the ordinary. It had to do with establishing an embassy for Themyscira in the United States. Diana said she might be gone for a few months, but she will be back for the wedding."

Once Clark mentioned the wedding, the subject was effectively changed, much to Bruce's consternation. He pushed his worry, and what little hope he had of salvaging his relationship with Diana, to the side. At least until the end of the meeting.

After Clark had dismissed the others, Bruce stayed behind. "Superman, a word."

Clark waited until everyone had left before turning to Bruce, "What can I help you with, Batman?"

"What are you not telling me about Diana's mission?"

"She might actually miss my wedding, but other than that…Wait, you don't already know?"

Bruce ignored Clark's insinuation and pressed on. "She is a senior member of the Justice League. She can't just leave for three months."

"You mean she didn't consult you?"

Bruce tried to hide his surprise that Diana hadn't told Clark about what had happened. "Diana and I are no longer together."

"Ah." Bruce waited, hoping that Clark would say something to effect of, "So that explains her recent behavior." Instead he got, "That's interesting. She didn't seem out of sorts when I last saw her. Must have been too busy thinking about returning to Themyscira."

"What happens if we need to contact her?"

"I doubt that will be necessary. Between the rest of us, I'm sure we can cover her absence for a few months."

Clark was right, but Bruce didn't feel convinced. Still, to object any further would show that he missed her beyond what was appropriate for a colleague, and he couldn't allow that.

"No doubt." Then he turned around, his black cape swirling at his ankles as he stalked out of the room.

* * *

Diana stood on the edge of the beach, and looked out over the clear waters. Digging her feet into the white sand, she inched closer and closer until she felt the waves nip at her toes.

The sun shone down lovingly on her, warming her skin. The aroma of Themyscira's wildflowers, carried on a soothing breeze, tickled her nose. She closed her eyes and fought to find the happiness that always awaited her at the ocean's shore, but was losing out to the emotions in her heart. She had never felt so insensible to beauty and joy in her life. But she remained there, willing herself to no longer be sad.

Hippolyta's voice broke through Diana's restless reverie. "I have missed you, daughter."

Wonder Woman turned around and looked at her mother. Diana smiled, but her eyes quickly filled with tears. The blond warrior enfolded her daughter in her arms, and whispered, "What's wrong, Diana?"

"Oh, mother. I am in so much pain."

"Well, you have come to the right place to get better. Have you eaten anything?"

"Not since yesterday."

"No wonder you are so forlorn. Come, we shall eat first. Then you will tell me everything that has happened, and we will fix your problem." She wiped at Diana's tears, and sternly said, "Now is not the time to cry. An Amazon princess must deal with her sorrows in private." Diana swallowed, set her chin, and smiled at her mother.

As they walked back to the palace, Hippolyta squeezed Diana's hand and added, "I will make sure we eat alone."

When the queen and princess neared the entrance, they were greeted by the sentries on duty. On seeing their rulers, they bowed deeply before the two women. Then one of them asked, "Shall we announce Princess Diana's arrival?"

"No. Tomorrow we shall have a feast for Diana's return. Tonight, I want to be alone with my daughter. Tell the cooks to prepare our meals, and after we are served, we are to be left alone. Under no conditions are we to be disturbed. See to it."

"Yes, my queen," the guards responded in unison. After bowing again, they walked off to perform her orders.

Diana quietly walked with her mother to the dining hall. Diana recognized the women milling in the room as her mother's closest advisers. Hippolyta walked over to them and whispered to the highest ranking of them. In less than a minute, everyone had cleared out.

Mother and daughter sat at the high table, and once they had been served, Hippolyta asked, "So what brings you to Themyscira?"

"Officially, we need to establish a Themysciran Embassy in Man's World. Unofficially, my boyfriend dumped me, and I had to get away."

Hippolyta knew very little about this boyfriend or what the word dumped meant, but by the tears that were beginning to form in her daughter's eyes, she knew that some man had hurt her. Enough time had passed that the queen was able to realize that not all men were disgusting and deceitful pigs, though she was enraged at this information.

"Did he tell you why he ended it?"

"I didn't let him. I pretended to be unaffected by it, but I'm not. I've never felt so much pain in my life."

"Not even when you were exiled?"

Diana looked up at her mom. "No. Now that I think of it, they are on par. But they are different kinds of pain. That was a rejection by my home and family. This is a rejection of my love. I have never felt so inadequate."

"You are Princess of the Amazons. Do not listen to anyone who tells you differently, even if it is yourself."

"You're right. I'm sorry, mother."

Hippolyta sighed. She knew Diana needed her mother, not someone who would lecture her. She just didn't think it would be this difficult.

"Did you love this man?"

"His name is Bruce. And yes. I do."

"You do? Even after he left you?"

"It only happened two days ago."

"He was unworthy of you, Diana. It is useless to waste tears on a man who does not deserve to carry your sandals."

"Is that how you felt after Hades?"

"Yes. And it was true."

Diana stubbornly looked up at her mother and pronounced, "Bruce is nothing like Hades."

Hippolyta reached over and rested her hand on Diana's cheek. "I know. It would be impossible for him to be such a monster."

"He is Batman."

Hippolyta nodded as she took in the information. It did not surprise her that her daughter had chosen a fellow superhero.

"Mother, why do you think he could not love me?"

"You should not ask that question. There will never be an answer that will satisfy you."

"I suppose you are right."

"I'm your mother. Of course, I'm right."

"But have you ever asked yourself that? Or thought about what you should have done differently?" Diana looked down embarrassedly before saying out loud, "Of course not. If Bruce had been like Hades I would have rejoiced at his absence from my life."

Making a resolution, the queen prepared to let Diana in on a secret she had never told anyone. "Hades is not the only man I have ever loved."

Shocked, Diana began to stare. "Who was it?"

"Before I tell you, you must eat. Don't think that I have not noticed you poking and prodding at your food."

Hippolyta waited while Diana finished her meal. Finally satisfied that she had had enough to give her strength, the queen led Diana to her old room.

"Mother, are you stalling?"

"I would never do anything so undignified. I am merely preparing you. Now sit down."

Hippolyta joined her on the bed then simply said, "Hercules."

"Hercules what?"

"It was Hercules."

"Mother! He is worse than Hades! If it were not for him…"

"Yes, I know. We would not have been forced to leave the world, there would have been no division amongst the Amazons. All this I know, but people can change."

Diana had crossed her arms over her chest, but didn't say anything.

"I know this is difficult to hear, but eventually, I was able to forgive him for what he had done. It helped that he was sorry for it. I don't know if I could have if he had not been contrite. But that is beside the point. The reason I mentioned this is because I know what it is like to feel as if you are not enough."

This softened Diana. A little. "But-"

"I am not finished. I was the one who ended it. I knew that my Amazons would not be able to accept him after what he did and that the Bana-Mighdallians would attack us if they knew I had a relationship with our former persecutor. I owed it to our nation, but it is not something I did lightly or happily. When I told him, he said he understood the cost of being royalty and the duties that attended it. And then he left. I have not seen him since, but I have wondered why he did not fight me on it, why he did not fight for me. I did not want him to go, and maybe if he had sworn to stay by my side, he would still be here."

"Why did you not send for him?"

She gave her daughter a wry grin. "We Amazons are very prideful. To admit that we want anyone is to show weakness, and to do so in front of a man, that would be sacrilege." In a more sober tone, she continued. "Besides, in this case, it truly was the best thing for us to go our separate ways. Sometimes there are higher goods than even _eros_."

Diana nodded. She knew it was correct, but the truth of the words seemed drowned out by her roaring emotions and everything she had learned about romantic love in Man's World. And if she accepted this truth, it meant that Bruce had a good reason for leaving her, and there was no way she could ask him to go against his conscience. If anything she loved him more for it. But that only made the pain increase.

"I think Bruce ended it with me for nearly the same reasons. He probably thinks he cannot be Batman and love me at the same time. I know he worries for my protection."

Hippolyta laughed. "That is sweet, though it is misguided. You are many times more powerful than he is. But then lovers are not the most rational of people."

"And that is probably what scares him. He thinks his greatest asset is his intelligence, and perhaps he is threatened by the emotions I produce in him."

"Well, just because many lovers are not rational, it does not follow that none are. I'm sure it is more than that. Emotions can be tamed. But deep, abiding commitment is all-consuming--maybe to the point where he thinks that he is losing himself to you. I imagine he loves you very much and wants to be with you, otherwise he would not think it necessary to push you away."

"It is best if I do not speculate. It will be better if I just accept that I will never know his reasons and try to move on."

But the philosopher in Hippolyta was piqued. "Of course, dear, but he should know that in its healthiest form, love enables us to make sacrifices that we never thought ourselves capable of. He would make a good help-mate for you, and the assistance you could provide him would aid him immeasurably."

"Do you think that is why he ended it with me? Was this his sacrifice?"

"Perhaps, but if it is, I pity him. No woman, or man, is only their mind. The heart and appetite must be ruled, but neither ignored nor neglected. It seems your Batman has forgotten that he is human. I hope that he learns this lesson soon and welcomes you back into his life."

"I do too."

This time when Diana started crying, Hippolyta held her sun and stars until the tears stopped.

* * *

**To Be Continued**

* * *

As always, reviews are greatly appreciated.


	2. Colors

Disclaimer One: I don't own any of these characters.

Disclaimer Two: I'm bringing in another character that I know absolutely nothing about, though I did NOT make him up. I might, however, have taken some liberties with how good of a friend he is with John. You have no idea what I'm talking about right now, but if you keep reading, you will.

Thank yous and shout outs: As always, Kipling-Nori, thanks for speedily reading over all the chapters I send you and encouraging me to keep adding to BD's Book of Love. You are tres awesome! For all your hard work, I give you an SB where the SDC--with a healthy LT--trounce on the NEP. Take that, TB! And if you can decipher that, you are a true Wonder Woman. **:D** I would also like to thank one of my dear readers, Hepburn. Your ideas helped me piece together the motivations behind Bruce and Diana's current and future actions. In gratitude, I give you RF complete with his very own rhinoplasty. **:D**

I'm still not sure of what I want to call this fiction, but I am tentatively naming it Wedding Bell Blues. And I'm going to be randomly adding chapter titles, which, again, are subject to change. **;D**

* * *

**Wedding Bell Blues**

**Chapter Two:**

**Colors**

* * *

Yesterday i got lost in the circus, feeling like such a mess.  
And now I'm down, I'm just hanging on the corner.  
I can't help but reminisce.

When you're gone, all the colors fade.  
When you're gone, no New Year's Day parade.  
You're gone  
colors seem to fade.

_Colors_ by Amos Lee

* * *

For Diana, the next three months were a whirlwind of activity. Her mornings were occupied in training with her Amazon sisters, honing her old skills and teaching them new techniques she had picked up in Man's World. Afternoons were spent with the island's greatest minds discussing plans for the Embassy or traipsing around her old haunts. Her evenings were filled with conversations with her mother or praying in the temples of her goddesses. But Bruce still possessed her nights, visiting her thoughts and dreams as she lay in bed.

Gradually, Diana's grief lessened, even though her love for Bruce remained. In spite of this, she vowed never to mention anything about her love or pain to him. If he thought he had to do this, it was not for her to ask him to compromise what he thought was right. Love was not worth having if it was purchased at the sacrifice of his honor or hers.

Things for Bruce were not so pleasant, though he was just as busy. Ever since Diana had left, he had stopped attending League meetings, giving him more time to brood and analyze his mistake as he stalked the criminals that littered Gotham's streets. Things with Alfred had progressively gotten worse, rendering conversation with him impossible. It wasn't that Alfred dropped hints about Diana, but just knowing that his surrogate father disapproved of what he had done was enough to drive Bruce away. Besides, Bruce figured, he deserved to suffer through this alone. If he hadn't been so stupid and scared, none of this would have happened.

What little relief he did receive came in those moments when he was able to think of Diana apart from what he had done to hurt her. He'd recall some silly thing she had said or done that made him laugh. Or the way she would trace light circles on his back when he was feeling stressed out. Even how she would smile triumphantly over him every time she felled him in the training room. But those remembrances and the joy he received from them were always short in duration. Guilt would always intrude, leaving him feeling emptier than before.

Bruce had considered taking the Batplane to Themyscira and telling her that the League needed her. Eight times he had thought about doing it, and eight times a list of reasons would enervate his courage. He really wasn't the type given to hoping or performing grand gestures. That had always been Diana's province.

And so he waited for Diana to return, frustrated that he had no idea when that would be.

* * *

Two weeks before the reporters' wedding, Bruce finally discovered a legitimate reason for contacting Diana. They had been chosen as best man and maid of honor for Clark and Lois, respectively, and there was a small matter of planning the various parties that were expected of them. Not one to jump the gun, Bruce decided to speak with Clark about it first.

Bruce grimaced when he heard Clark's salutation. "Haven't heard from you in a while. The life of being Gotham's most sought after playboy must be keeping you busy." For a man skilled in the arts of confrontation and engagement, Clark sure knew how to be passive aggressive.

"Right. So have you gotten your cold feet yet?"

"Hardly. If I had the chance, I'd marry Lois this instant."

"How sweet." Clark smiled at the drollness in Bruce's voice.

"So, to what do I owe the honor?"

"I'm calling about planning for the bachelor and bachelorette parties.

"No strippers allowed; Lois would kill me."

Bruce rolled his eyes. Sometimes he wondered if Clark tried to make things difficult for him, or if he really was that dense. Man of Lead didn't have quite the same ring to it, but Bruce that it a much more fitting moniker.

"Duly noted. I'd like to collaborate with Diana on a few things."

"Hmm? Well, she's already set everything up and sent the ideas over to Lois. After I approved them, of course."

His only reason to speak with Diana mooted, Bruce became irrationally cranky and took it out on the future groom. "Probably the cleaned up version."

"Where's your good faith?"

"It's Lois."

Clark was in too good of a mood to let Bruce's irritation get the better of him. "Hey! That the future Mrs. Lane-Kent you are talking about. Besides, it's Diana who's throwing the party."

"Kind of difficult to do when she's half-way around the world. Did she say when she'd be coming back?"

"I imagine not until it's absolutely necessary. She's enjoying her time in Themyscira and her plans for the embassy still need a few kinks ironed out. She probably wouldn't come back if it weren't for the wedding."

There was nothing but silence at the end of the other line.

He knew it was sadistic, but Clark smiled at Bruce's sudden inability to speak. For once, he, Clark Kent, farmboy from Smallville, had rendered the Bat speechless. And it also revealed to the reporter that Bruce was still carrying a torch for Diana.

"Bruce?"

"Sorry, my secretary just gave me a memo." This time it was Clark who rolled his eyes.

Bruce continued, "It would be nice if she let the rest of the League know about her plans to relocate to Themyscira. Professional courtesy demands it, and we will need to find someone to take her place."

At this Clark snorted. "No one could ever take Diana's place. Anyway, it doesn't matter. Diana's not going to stay in Themyscira. I just meant that she would have extended her vacation if she could have."

Bruce silently let out the breath that he had been holding. "Clark, I have a business meeting to go to. Talk with you later." And then he hung up to attend his imaginary gathering.

Bruce slumped into his chair in relief. The idea that Diana would permanently leave Man's World had never entered his mind, but thanks to Clark, it was something that now plagued his already unsettled mind.

From his seat, he looked across his study and saw the portrait of his parents. The sunlight that seeped in through the windows highlighted the faces of two of the people he loved most in his life. Melancholy getting the better of him, Bruce thought, "They would have loved her too."

It had been one of the reasons he had planned on proposing to her that night almost three months ago. He had even gotten his mother's ring out of the vault in the Batcave and had been carrying it around with him for over a week. The day of their sixth month anniversary had been spent in nervous anticipation, perfecting all the details of what he had hoped would be the perfect night.

He had finished setting everything up with three hours to spare and for a while he paced the floor, finalizing how he would ask her. And that is when things started running away from him. As he poured over her perfections and why she was the right woman for him, his thoughts stuttered when he came to one of his favorites: her independence.

For the first time, Bruce questioned the ridiculousness of asking an Amazon to marry. Though it was little known, the marriage of Bruce's parents had left its indelible imprint on Bruce's ideas of romantic relationships. They had shown him that, in addition to being passionate and caring, love was commitment, till death did them part, and, for him, the clearest demonstration of that was in the bonds of marriage. But would Diana have the same view of it that he did?

And from there, the doubts sprouted up viciously, swirling larger and larger over his head.

She would think he was trying to control her and possess her.

She would laugh at him for his antiquated ways.

He was moving too fast.

They had never talked about marriage.

He hadn't even said 'I love you' to her yet.

And lastly, and most importantly, he remembered that she hadn't said it to him either.

And from there, it was an easy step to calling off his plans. But he didn't stop there. Bruce had jumped headfirst into the most slippery slope ever.

He had been willing to commit his whole life to her. He was so in love with her, he hadn't counted the cost or toll that such an action would have taken on his duty to Gotham. What if she was demanding? Or more realistically, what if he wanted to give it all up to be with her? And if he did, would she have any reason to love him? Bruce had always prided himself on being the only non-powered superhero in the League and had convinced himself that that was his appeal to her. And even if he didn't hang up his boots for her, old age would eventually force him to retire his batarangs and utility belt. Would her affection for him survive that?

With thoughts like that attacking and no Diana to convince him that he was wrong, Bruce naturally came to the conclusion that if it had to end, it should end with her remembering him in his prime. He hated it. God knew how much he hated it, but in that moment, the only option, and, therefore, the best option was to end things with her. And so that's what he did. And even though she would no longer be with him, it wasn't as if she would be permanently removed from his life. He would still have the comfort of seeing her face on missions and at meetings.

But even that was taken from him, because she had left for Themyscira without saying goodbye to him. And attending League Meetings without her, well, forget it. He didn't need to be there in person to get the information. She was the reason they were even bearable. On top of that, the idea of seeing Clark growing happier and happier as his nuptials approached was another source of irritation to Bruce. He knew it was selfish, but he was already having trouble not thinking about what he had lost. Clark's wedded bliss would be like throwing kerosene on the fire.

But three months of intense longing, haunting regrets, and a big dose of perspective went a long way to changing Bruce's mind.

Bruce realized that even though the doubts would never disappear, his love for her still abided. And it was strong enough to commit to a less than certain future with her than the certitude of sorrow he would continue to experience the longer he had to be without her.

Perhaps the feelings would come and go, rekindling whenever they learned to appreciate and cherish something new about the other person, but at rock bottom, love was about commitment. And what's more, Diana would understand that. She might not look on marriage the same way that he did, but he had never known a heart more constant or honorable than hers. Given time, he was sure that he could convince her. But first he needed her to return.

* * *

It was a week before the wedding. Knowing that Diana would be returning soon, Bruce started attending the meetings again. Part of it was because he wanted to see her. Most of it, really. But another reason he returned was because he didn't want her to know that she was the sole reason he had come back.

It was during his second meeting back that Bruce finally saw her again. His eyes greedily drank in her appearance, and it was not for the first time that he was grateful for the opaque lenses in his cowl.

Before she could take her seat next to him, Wally zoomed around the round table and grabbed her in a hug, lifting her off the floor. She awkwardly patted his back, but she was all smiles.

"It's good to see you too, Wally."

When he still didn't let go, Batman's fingers began to twitch.

"Wally…Wally!" Diana's voice finally broke through to the younger man, and he set her down. "Sorry, Wondy! I'm just happy you're back. And you too, Bats." Flash moved over to hug Bruce, but was stopped by the death rays shooting out of his eyes.

Her curiosity piqued, Diana resisted the urge to look over at Bruce, while Wally kept on babbling. "He's been gone almost as long as you've been."

Lucky for Wally there were witnesses in the room. Bruce could only tightly reply, "Things have been busy in Gotham."

"Yeah, I've seen the papers. 'Bruce's Bevy of Beauties.' When the girlfriend's away, the Bat will play, eh?" Wally thought he was being funny, but he could not have said anything more inappropriate.

Knowing that Wally was sometimes not the brightest bulb, but not intentionally cruel, Diana pieced together that he wasn't aware that they had broken up. And if he didn't know, she wondered who else didn't. She'd have to talk with Bruce about letting the others know later.

Underneath his cowl, Bruce closed his eyes in frustration, a sinking feeling piercing his gut. This was definitely not what he wanted Diana to hear. It wouldn't matter that there was absolutely no truth to the stories. There never was.

"What are you going to do about it, Wondy?"

Diana had vowed not to speak with Bruce about her feelings for him, but she had done so under the impression that he had broken up with her because it was getting in the way of his work. It had never had occurred to her that he would already be dating. Feeling horrible and more than a little angry, but desperate to hide it, Diana answered, "Nothing," and then called out to the others, "So what else have I missed?"

"Not much, except Dinah and Ollie getting engaged." Shayera's delivery was so deadpan it took a moment for the news to click in Diana's brain.

"What?! That's wonderful!" She truly was happy for the couple, but it seemed like the fates were conspiring against her. What little peace she had was quickly unraveling. _Hera, was everyone finding happiness with their loved ones except her?_

"And Superman can barely string two sentences together; he's too busy thinking about Lois."

Everyone looked over at Clark, and he returned their stares with a confused look. "Did I miss something?"

"Just the last two weeks, Supes. Excited about the wedding?"

Clark eagerly nodded his head up and down, while John and Wally laughed at him.

When the meeting finally started, there wasn't much to go over. A recap of the previous mission was performed, and towards the end Superman asked Diana if she had anything to report about her trip to Themyscira.

The room was informed that she needed to speak with Batman first before she would speak about her plans for the embassy. The only person who looked oddly at her was Clark, so she figured that J'onn and Superman were the only people who knew her relationship with Bruce was over.

Both Diana and Bruce remained seated while the rest of the heroes shuffled out of the room. As soon as the door shut, Bruce cleared his throat.

"About what Wally said…"

Diana smiled and reached across the table for his hand, squeezing it lightly. "Bruce, what you do with your free time is your business. We are no longer together, and you don't need to explain your actions to me. I do, however, want to talk with you about letting the others know that we're over to avoid any further awkwardness."

This is not the direction Bruce had hoped the conversation would go.

"What do you want to do?"

"Well, I could tell Shayera and Wally. I'm sure that J'onn already knows, so that leaves Lantern and Clark to you."

"Clark already knows, and if you tell Shayera, John will find out."

"I could give you Wally."

"Thanks, but I'll pass." His remark brought a smile to her face, which in turn brought one to his face. But the familiar ease quickly faded as both of their thoughts drifted back to their last night together. An uncomfortable silence hung in the air. Bruce was the one to break it, "So what do you need to talk with me about?"

"I was wondering…if you could put me in contact with someone who can help me set up the Themysciran Embassy."

So she hadn't left because of him. Now feeling utterly foolish, he quickly stood up and brusquely said, "I will have the appropriate person call you tomorrow and will send you the information you'll need concerning him later today."

Diana looked up at him from where she was seated. "Thanks, Bruce."

He nodded his head and walked to the door. As it slid open, he quietly said, "I'm glad you're back, Diana." Her head quickly turned to the exit, but the doors had already closed behind him.

Diana sat in her chair for a few more seconds, gathering her composure. It was time to tell Shayera. Wally could wait till later.

Walking down the halls, she made her way to Hawkgirl's room. After knocking and being allowed in, Diana saw that Shayera was not alone.

"Shayera. John."

"Hey, Diana. Why the long face?" John asked.

Determined to come across as perfectly content with her current single state, Diana pasted a smile on her face. "I just wanted to let you know that Bruce and I are no longer together."

Shayera's eyes widened in surprise while John groaned in frustration and said, 'Do you need me to talk to him?"

Diana forced out a laugh. "I wonder why everyone thinks that Bruce is behind the breakup?"

"You mean, you dumped him?"

"No, but we are both happy with the decision. We weren't even together that long. Anyway, we just wanted everyone to know, so that that things could return back to normal as quickly as possible."

"Right. Well, I'll leave you ladies to talk about it."

Before Diana could object, Lantern was already out the door.

Shayera turned two worried eyes on her friend. "Diana, are you sure you're ok with this?"

Wonder Woman walked over to the bed and sat down. "I wasn't expecting it, but like I said, we weren't together that long."

Hawkgirl joined her on the bed. "What does that have to do with anything? You loved him, didn't you?"

Diana looked angrily over at Shayera. "I told you I'm _fine_ with it."

"You say that, but you're not. If you want to hide it from Bruce, fine. But you need to talk with someone about it, and if you want, that person can be me."

When Diana didn't say anything, Shayera placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Look, I know you love him. And I'm just as surprised as you were that this happened. I really thought you guys would go the distance."

Diana laughed bitterly. "Yes, because Bruce is known for being in long-term relationships."

"No. Bruce seems like the type that would avoid relationships like the plague, because he takes them so seriously. At least that's what John and I thought. So when you finally got him to start dating you, I just figured if anyone was going to end it, it would be you, not him. I'm really sorry, Diana. You guys are so good together. It just seemed right."

"Well, there's nothing to be done about it now. It happened almost three months ago. Right before I left for Themyscira."

"So that's why you went?"

"If anyone asks, even John, it was just for setting up the embassy."

"Have you thought about talking with Bruce about it?"

"If John broke up with you, would you talk to him about your feelings afterward?"

"No. I'd probably kill him, though."

"Exactly. Besides, he shouldn't get to know how I'm feeling."

Shayera nodded in agreement, but remained silent, which was perfect for Diana. Now that she was confessing her growing anger at Bruce, she couldn't stop.

"And I find out today that he's already dating other people."

"Where'd you hear that?"

"Flash."

Shayera rolled her eyes. "Diana, you know that those entertainment magazines Wally reads are just lies. There is no way Bruce is dating someone."

Diana put her head in her hands, inhaling deeply to steady herself. "I told myself when I left Themyscira that I wouldn't cry for him anymore."

"Why would you do that? If you have to cry, cry."

"Would you?"

"That doesn't matter, but yes, I would. And I have. I can't tell you how many times I've cried over some idiot who dumped me. There's nothing wrong with it. Now if you did it all the time, there might be a problem. But it's better to get it out and get on with it then to just bottle it up inside. Besides, he was your first boyfriend, and he's not an idiot. At least, not normally."

"I think the whole idea of him dating someone else just shook me up. I'll be fine. I should have known it wasn't true, but I'm not thinking as clearly as I should be."

"Diana, I hate to be such a pessimist, but it might get worse before it gets better."

"Why? I would think that time would only make it easier."

"Under normal circumstances, yes, but you picked the wrong time to get over him. All these weddings might make an already difficult situation worse."

"I don't see why that should make any difference."

"Well, you haven't been around Bruce for almost three months. And now you are going to have to see him. If it were just meetings, it wouldn't be so bad, but at weddings, it's different. Everyone around you seems happy and in love, and it really sucks if you don't have someone."

"I'm fine with being single. I don't need a man."

"No duh, Diana. But I don't think you started dating Bruce because you thought you needed a boyfriend. You dated him because you wanted him, and that hasn't changed."

Annoyed at the future ahead of her, Diana irately asked, ""Do you understand this world's women's fascination with getting married?"

"Yes."

Diana looked up in surprise. "But you're from Thanagar."

"We had marriage there too."

"Is it the same thing as here? The woman becoming an indentured servant to the male?"

"Where did you hear about that? On Themyscira?" Diana nodded her head yes.

"When did the Amazons relocate from Greece to your island?"

"Thousands of years ago."

"Diana, the role of women in society has changed a lot since then, and so have the attitudes toward marriage. We didn't have those issues on Thanagar, but the modern conception of marriage on this planet is much closer to what we had in Thanagar, except for all the divorces now. Besides, you've seen for yourself that Man's World isn't as bad as it is made out to be. You dated a man, after all."

Still angry with Bruce, Diana wasn't ready to concede yet. "Why is it not enough for a man and woman to say they want to be together?"

"It's a public declaration before all people and their god that you have chosen to be together."

"Why is that important?"

"When you were dating Bruce, and you couldn't go public with your relationship, didn't that bother you?

"That's different. We're superheroes, and he had an identity to protect."

Shayera went on as if she hadn't heard Diana. "And when you started dating, why did you share it with all of your friends? Or when you saw stories in the papers of women flirting with Bruce, didn't you want them to know that he belonged to you?"

"I still don't see what the big deal is."

"Where's your sense of romance, Diana? A man you love asking you to be with him forever, promising to cherish you no matter what happens, forsaking all others because he thinks there is no one better to be with than you."

Shayera was slowly starting to win Diana over, but Wonder Woman couldn't resist asking, "Well, if it's so wonderful, why aren't you and John getting married?"

When Shayera remained quiet for too long, Diana looked sharply at her. "Shayera! Are you guys engaged too?!"

"Yes, but don't tell anyone. We were going to wait until Dinah and Ollie's news got to everyone first."

"Why?"

Shayera raised her eyebrow archly. "Were you not just listening to anything I said?"

"Aren't you scared?"

"A little, but I think John has more to be frightened of than me. I'm the one who betrayed…well, you know what happened. I'm just grateful that he trusts me again." Blinking the tears out of her eyes, Shayera tried to lighten the mood. "Besides, this way Mari can never get her claws on him again."

"As if you are afraid of her."

"You're right. I could easily take her on in a fight."

"So when is it going to happen?"

"A few weeks before Dinah and Ollie marry, so in about two more months."

"That soon?"

"When you know, you know, right?"

"I suppose so."

"And while I'm at it, Diana, will you be my maid of honor? And I promise, you won't have to walk down the aisle with Bruce."

"Of course I'll be your maid of honor. Who is John asking?"

"Kyle Rayner."

"I've heard of him."

"He's a nice guy." And then inspiration struck the winged superhero. "Do you have a date for Superman's wedding?"

"Uh, no. I hadn't even thought of that."

"How about I have him go with you to their wedding?"

"I don't know, Shayera. I don't think I'm ready for it."

"It's just a date. Plus, he's good-looking." _And it will drive Bruce crazy_, Hawkgirl silently added.

The idea of being with anyone besides Bruce was distasteful to Diana, but, she reminded herself that he probably wouldn't spare her the same courtesy and would most likely show up with a date of his own. He did have a reputation to maintain. Making a snap and somewhat spiteful decision, Wonder Woman said, ""Fine. I'll do it."

"Thanks, Diana."

"You're welcome. Well, there are some other things I need to take care of. And thanks for…everything."

"No problem. And if you need anyone to talk to again…"

"Right."

As Diana walked away, Shayera looked worriedly after her friend, but made herself happy again with thoughts of how she would get John to work on Bruce. She was certain that, given the right conditions, Bruce and Diana would be back together in no time.

* * *

** To Be Continued**

* * *

**To all my reviewers, thanks heaps! I love hearing from you all.**

**To my anonymous reviewer, d: **I don't think I have it in me to write an unhappy ending, so you needn't worry. :D I'm not even used to the angst thing, but frustration and unhappiness are parts of life too, and they are usually the things that help us grow and mature and discover why we do what we do, and all that fun self-examination stuff. This is my attempt to do that with Bruce and Diana. And I threw in two more engagements for you. **:D**. Hope you like them as well.

* * *


	3. Stolen

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

I have so many thanks to give out for this chapter. First, for **Kipling Nori** who read this ginormous chapter for me. Thanks for looking it over and providing inspiration via Hey Jealousy. **:D **I think another Jedi enclave is on order, this time with RDJ clones in every little nook and cranny. It's up to you to find the real one. Will you be able to handle it? **;D**

I would also like to thank **Hepburn** who talked about this story with me for a very long time and helped me pick Diana's date and discussed the kinds of emotions our hero and heroine could have to their current situation.

And then much thanks to **Gotham's Princess** who gave me information about Kyle Rayner and read over those parts with him in them to make sure he was written in character. Little secret: I have no clue about this Green Lantern, so I'm glad she stepped in and helped me out.

And for all you **reviewers** out there. I'll address my anonymous ones more at the bottom, but seriously, sometimes I would have no motivation to write another word of this, but someone would review, and I found that I was excited to write it again. So your words are always a spur and encouragement. Thanks!

So hopefully you guys like this chapter. There is one section I'm contemplating deleting outright, but I'm keeping it in for right now. Maybe you guys can try to guess it. **:D**

* * *

**Wedding Bell Blues**

**Chapter Three:**

**Stolen**

* * *

Clear liquor and cloudy eyed, too early to say goodnight.

I watch you spin around in your highest heels  
You are the best one, of the best ones  
We all look like we feel.

You have stolen my  
You have stolen my heart.

_Stolen_ by Dashboard Confessional

* * *

The week before the wedding left both Bruce and Diana extremely occupied, though neither person was far from the thoughts of the other. As Bruce watched Clark prepare for wedded bliss, his desire to be with Diana daily increased. It was painful, but Bruce was used to that. In this instance, he even welcomed it, because it meant that he still loved her, and he never wanted to stop. Knowing and loving Diana had been the best thing to happen to him, and to no longer feel broken over her loss would mean that he had returned to the man he was before they were together, and he didn't particularly care for that man. Still, it was a hollow comfort. He would rather have had Diana. And that truth came painfully clearer and clearer the more he hung out with Clark.

They were together now at a tuxedo shop, doing some very last minute fittings. Bruce was absentmindedly playing with his cuff links when he saw Clark waving his hand in front of his face. The greatest urge to smack that hand out of the way came over him, but Bruce settled on testily biting out, "What?!"

"Whoa. Somebody woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning."

"Uh, sorry, Clark. I'm just thinking about this potential merger between Wayne Tech...," Bruce trailed off, hoping that was a sufficient enough lie to distract Clark.

"Between whom? You and Diana?"

Bruce looked up sharply at the groom.

"Don't even try, Bruce." Clark tapped his finger beside his right eye and gave Bruce a smug grin. "Built in lie detector."

Bruce rolled his eyes. Clark could be so…annoying. Especially when he was right. "I didn't lie."

"Only because I didn't give you the chance." Clark turned and faced his reflection in a mirror, adjusting his bowtie. His blue gaze in the mirror found Bruce's. "Do you regret it?"

"It's a week before your wedding and you want to talk about _my_ love life?"

"It's difficult seeing my best friends look so miserable when I'm so happy." While the words could have potentially come off the wrong way, Bruce knew that Clark was being sincere. Besides, he hadn't known anything about Diana's thoughts on the situation, and Clark's words painted a different picture for Bruce than the one Diana had allowed him to see.

"Is she…you think she's upset too?"

Clark dropped his eyes to the floor, suddenly interested in the shine of his shoes. The mirror revealed a newfound ruddiness on the Man of Steel's cheeks, and the groom refused to answer his best man.

"Clark, what are you not telling me?"

"I don't feel comfortable telling you what Diana spoke to me in confidence."

"So she was upset?" Bruce couldn't help the smile that began to form on his face, but it was wiped clean away when he heard his best friend's next words.

"Don't look so happy, Bruce. She was crushed." The disappointment in Clark's voice made Bruce feel about two feet tall. "Why did you do it?"

"I got scared."

"You've piloted the Watchtower into the ground, gone toe to toe with Darkseid, and being with Diana scares you?"

Bruce ran his hand through his hair, grabbing the black strands in his fingers. He had no excuses to offer Clark, and he wasn't going to pretend that he did.

"Look, Bruce, you need to get over your hang-ups. I didn't think it was possible, but things have gotten better between me and Lois since I proposed. It's like getting married made us realize how much we loved each other, and since then Lois has opened up even more to me. She's let her guard down and actually allows me to try to help her, instead of pretending she is happy fighting all her battles alone. I think she just needed to know that I would love her unconditionally, even if she wasn't being her usual tough-as-nails self. Don't get me wrong; I love Lois's strength, but it's nice to know that she thinks I am capable of protecting and taking care of her."

Clark was staring far into space, making a look that a billionaire playboy should have condescendingly chuckled at, but he couldn't. Bruce envied Clark. The two might have had very dissimilar backgrounds, but they both had wonderful parents, and because of that, the two superheroes knew the value of love and family. Clark was about to attain it all, while Bruce was still coming to grips with what he had lost. In a voice a little gruffer than usual, Bruce defensively said, "I'm not afraid of the commitment."

Clark shook his head, coming back from his daydreams. "Then what is it?"

Bruce hadn't talked about Diana with anyone, and there was a reason for it. It was too personal, and it hurt. He liked to keep his troubles to himself; there had been one person, possibly two, that he shared himself with. He wasn't comfortable with adding Clark to that list.

"Fine. I get you don't want to talk about it, but at least promise me that you'll make it right."

"I'm not sure that I know how to."

"Just let her know that you love her. That should be enough."

"And if it isn't?"

"Then convince her another way."

The tailor came back into the room and asked if they were satisfied with their suits, effectively ending their conversation. But for the first time in a while, Bruce felt hopeful. He hated the idea that he had hurt her, but at least that meant she still cared. And he would do anything to make her feel safe enough to be with him again.

* * *

On the other side of town, Diana watched quietly as the seamstress helped Lois put on her dress.

Clark had been right. It was easier to turn Bruce into the enemy, and even though she knew it was wrong, she was tired of feeling sad. Watching Lois, knowing that she had found a man who would pledge fealty and devotion to her forever made Diana resent Bruce for not even having the courage to take a lesser risk on their relationship.

At first, Diana had blamed herself, wondering if she had misinterpreted the signs. Had she wanted too much from him? She knew she hadn't. She hadn't taken anything from him or asked anything of him that he had not first offered to her. And he had given no indication that he had wanted out. Quite the opposite, actually.

Since she had arrived in Man's World, there had always been a connection between them, and after they started dating, that had increased ten-fold. Bruce had been a wonderful and understanding companion, so when he ended things, it came as a horrible shock. They had taken care of each other, encouraged each other, spurred one another on to becoming better fighters, friends, lovers, and persons. And now, all that was gone.

He had taken so much from her. Not only had he removed the man she loved, he had left her without her closest friend in Man's World. The hole left in her life was enormous, and she couldn't foresee it diminishing for a very long time, and it was all his fault. She had trusted him more than anyone. He knew that, and he didn't care—hadn't even taken into consideration how much he meant to her. And Shayera had been correct. She felt his loss most acutely in the preparations for Lois and Clark's wedding. There would be no more shared smiles over her friends' happiness. No one to make jokes with about how slavishly Clark loved Lois. No one to help her deal with the stress of being Lois's maid of honor. No one to talk about all the thoughts that were swimming through her head.

No Bruce.

Diana saw Lois looking at her and chided herself for not being attentive.

"Do you think Clark will like it?"

"If you wore a paper bag to the ceremony, Clark would not care."

"I know. He's wonderful like that, but…" Lois twisted in front of the mirror, trying to see her back.

Tears began to prick at Diana's eyes as she sincerely said, "You look lovely, Lois. Clark won't be able to breathe when he sees you."

"Good! That way, he can't run away from the altar."

Diana gave a small and wholly unconvincing laugh. "He would never do that to you."

Lois stepped down from the platform and walked over to her friend, taking her hand in hers. "Have I ever told you how you are the best maid of honor a girl could ever have?"

"That's not necessary. I know how wonderful I am."

Lois gave Diana an arch look. "Seriously, I know this couldn't have been easy for you."

Diana pulled her hand back and used it to smooth out her bridesmaid dress, but Lois still saw the slight tremble in her hand. She wasn't a world-renowned investigative journalist without reason.

"You know I think he was a jerk to do that to you, right? And that he doesn't deserve you?"

"Well, we all can't have guys like Clark."

Lois gave a satisfied grin, and Diana genuinely felt happy for her friend. She had never seen the reporter's violet eyes look so contented and peaceful. "True, Smallville is one of a kind. But Bruce isn't so bad, in his own way." Lois looked up at her friend, regretting her words. Then Lois hastily added, "Clark and I can find you someone better than him anyway."

Bruce had told Diana everything about his relationship with Lois, so Diana had never felt jealous. It had been a couple of dates and a kiss or two before they went their separate ways, deciding that their jobs were more interesting than each other. So Diana was able to take Lois's words at face value.

"I suppose so," Diana said, trying to hide the bitterness that she felt.

"I'm sorry you have to walk down the aisle with him, but feel free to ignore him completely. I know he won't be able to do the same to you." Lois's appraising eyes looked Diana up and down. "That color looks great on you, and the fit is perfect for your body, though you'd probably look good in anything. I bet Bruce won't be able to keep his eyes off of you. Do you want me to talk to him? Clark is convinced that he isn't over you, and I agree. Bruce is so obsessive over everything. He couldn't just forget you that quickly."

Wanting to change the subject from Bruce and herself, Diana asked, "How did you know that Clark was the one for you?"

"You mean, apart from him being incredibly good-looking and head over heels in love with me?"

"Yes." Diana watched Lois intently as the reporter's smile disappeared from her face. Lois started picking at the beadwork on her gown, inspecting it closely as she slowly began to list her reasons.

"He seems to think my stubbornness is adorable. I know I can be…difficult to be around, but he believes I'm perfect. And he's a good man, and I just know that he wants to make me happy. He makes me feel safe, and when he looks at me I can see that I mean the world to him. There isn't a better person than him." Lois waved her hand in front of her face, trying to fan her glistening eyes. "Oh, listen to me. I sound like one of those housewives from a fifties television show. Before you know it, I'll be quitting my job at the Planet and popping out kids left and right."

Having never watched reruns of old tv shows, Diana had no idea what Lois was talking about, but it didn't seem like it was a good thing, so Wonder Woman offered Lois her heartfelt assurances, "You will make Clark a wonderful wife. I can see that you respect and love him very much."

"Well, let's not go telling him that. If he knew how crazy about him I was, I would lose all my power in the relationship."

Diana must have had a shocked look on her face, because Lois laughed. "I'm just kidding! They only power struggle we have is over who gets to cover the better news stories. But I think we both know that if I wanted to, he would do whatever I wanted."

Diana smiled back. "No doubt."

"No doubt indeed. Now help me out of this dress. And try to make it quick; I drank three cups of coffee before I got here and have to go to the bathroom. But be careful; the only person who is allowed to tear this dress is Clark."

Diana shook her head in amusement. "So much for the idea of the blushing bride."

Lois snorted. "I'll leave that to you on your wedding night."

Diana's cheeks turned slightly pink. "Are you sure that your corset isn't tied a little too tight? It might be impeding the flow of blood to your head."

"What? I'm just saying. I think it's funny that you are this woman warrior, but when it comes to your wedding night, I think you'll be hiding under the covers." Diana glared at Lois, but she was unfazed. "Oh come on! You don't find that funny? Not even a little bit? It's cute."

Diana had finally finished undoing the numerous buttons that ran down Lois's back and helped her step out of the dress. "In any case, it's not something I have to worry about anytime soon," Diana said.

When Lois didn't say anything, Diana looked up at her. Lois was giving her a little smirk. "I wouldn't be surprised if it happened sooner rather than later. And don't hesitate to call me if you need any advice on that night. I'll be glad to offer any help that I can. Though if you married Bruce, I doubt you'd--"

"Lois!"

"Ok, I'll stop." Lois ran out of the room, presumably to the bathroom.

Diana looked up and caught her reflection in the mirror. She was holding Lois's dress in her hands, and the delicate folds of white silk covered with intricate beadwork cascaded to the floor. Checking to make sure no one was looking, Diana held the dress against her body.

Though it was a beautiful dress, and Lois looked gorgeous in it, it was a bit too ornate for Diana's taste. She mentally made changes to the dress. Hers wouldn't have that long of a train, and there would be no beads. She did like the softness of the silk, so that would probably stay, but the strapless top would definitely have to be replaced with some kind of scoop neck. Perhaps she would have the one shoulder strap, reminiscent of a Roman toga. Or she could do a more modern styling of the chitons she had worn at home. She wanted something sleek. She wanted something classic looking. She wanted something that would make Bruce go weak in the knees.

Diana pulled the dress away from her as quick as she could. Putting it aside gently on a nearby chair, she met her reflection again, staring at her bridesmaid dress. She silently went over the details in her head, forcing herself to forget the white dress that she had been created just seconds ago. Her little daydream had cost her, and it was taking all her willpower not to think of the ache that she felt in her chest.

But in spite of all the pain he had caused her, she missed him and wanted him back. Lois had hinted about setting her up with another man, but Diana couldn't _imagine _being with anyone else, much less _desire_ to be with anyone other than Bruce. She had come to know him, and he had known her. Why should she have to discover another, when there was already someone out there who already suited her so well?

This frustrated Diana to no end. It was not fair that she should still care for him so much. When she let her mind wander, she would make new ultimatums for him, new guidelines he would have to follow if they were to date again, and she hated that she was still thinking that he would come back to her. It was ridiculous. Was not her hope being flouted in her face daily? It was growing more and more false as each day passed and she was still alone. It was making it impossible for her to move on.

She was frightened, and she didn't want to do it, but it was time to give him up for good.

Diana hung the dress up and walked as far away from it as possible, waiting for Lois to come back.

* * *

The night before Clark and Lois's wedding, Diana knelt before her altar, pleading with her goddesses to relieve her of her love for Bruce. Crying her heart out to those who had always given her guidance in the past, she asked over and over to be released from this bondage. Or if that could not be granted, at least to have the certitude that there really was no hope for her and Bruce.

Exhausted, she fell face down onto her bed, her head collapsed in the crux of her elbow.

Out of nowhere, someone began to gently stroke her hair.

"Bruce?"

"No, Diana."

Wonder Woman's head shot up from its resting place, and she blinked in amazement. As quickly as she could, she jumped off the bed and bowed low to the ground. "My goddesses, I knew you would hear me, as you always do, but I had never dreamed that you would visit me here."

"We wish to help you. Please, Diana, stand up."

She got up and allowed herself to be led over to a chair. Taking her seat, she looked at Athena, Hera, and Aphrodite.

Hera smiled kindly at her before asking, "Now, Diana, what is the problem?"

Wonder Woman smiled, confident that she would finally get the results she needed. "I am in love with a man who does not love me, and I don't want to love him anymore."

Aphrodite's clear blue eyes looked extremely puzzled at this news. "Why not, dear? From what I know of him, he seems like a wonderful man."

"He is, and that makes it even worse. I am wasting away with sorrow, and it's not healthy. And if it doesn't stop, I know that I will grow to hate him. It is better that I stop caring for him before that happens."

Aphrodite laughed gently. "That could never really happen, and you know it, Diana. I have blessed you with a loving and generous nature. If I were to take that away, you would no longer be you."

The conversation wasn't exactly going the way Diana had planned it. A lump began to form in her throat.

"But why must I hurt so much?"

The gray-eyed Athena stepped forward and addressed her, "That is the way of life. You should know that. This is the consequence of giving your heart to another."

The queen of the gods gave Athena a reproving glance. "Do not be so harsh. Would you rather she had done nothing?"

"I did not say that, but she would certainly be hurting much less right now if she had. Surely you both know from personal experience what a dangerous thing it is to love another person, especially romantically."

Aphrodite and Hera said nothing, as Athena knew they would.

"You, Hera, have felt the pain of Zeus' infidelity many a time. And Aphrodite, you have inflicted it upon your husband regularly. You have seen the disappointment it brings. It shouldn't surprise you that Diana is sick of love."

"That is unfair," the goddess of love interjected. "I was forced to marry Hephaestus, and he is so afraid of me, worships me so much, that he doesn't treat me as an equal but as something more than a goddess. It is too much pressure."

"And it is unkind of you to bring up my husband's affairs. You know how I feel about it."

"And yet you keep taking him back. If he truly loved you, Hera, he would not turn you into a fool. Repeatedly."

Diana was fascinated by the discussion between the three goddesses. And she knew better than to interrupt them.

"Look, we did not come here to discuss our problems, but to help Diana with hers."

Three sets of eyes turned on Diana.

Aphrodite addressed her first. "Why do you not want to love him?"

"I have an obligation to maintain a professional and healthy working relationship with all my team mates, and I don't see how that is possible given how things are right now. I can't be near him without feeling on the verge of tears, and being apart from him isn't any better either. I can't keep functioning like this."

"Diana, you are very strong. You can get through this."

"I don't want to get through this. I want to be over this. Please, just take _this_," Diana placed a fist over her heart, "away from me. Please."

Aphrodite looked sadly at the tears that were forming in Wonder Woman's eyes.

"I can't do that. And even if I could help you, the only solution would be for you to hate him, which defeats the whole purpose of working well with him. There is no arrow of friendship and cordiality. It is either love or hate."

"Then I must go on feeling this way?"

Hera and Aphrodite nodded their heads quietly, as Athena shook her head in disagreement. "Diana, those feelings will fade away. Right now, you have no control over them, because they are too new, but you can do things that will help lessen the pain. That has always been in your power. You are not a slave to love. No one is."

"Yes," Hera said excitedly. "You can tell him how he has hurt you. Let him know that you still care for him."

Diana's voice rose in anger, as her fists tightened by her sides. "But he rejected me. I will not grovel, begging him to take me back."

"Letting someone know how they have hurt you and that you love them still is not groveling. It is being honest, and might give you the closure that you need. And who knows, it might even bring him back to his senses." Hera extended her arm and placed it on Diana's shoulder. Wonder Woman could see the sincerity than shone in the goddess's eyes. It wouldn't have surprised her if Hera had gone through this ordeal many times with Zeus.

The unbending voice of Athena broke through Diana's thoughts. "Though he must change."

"Of course, Athena. That goes without saying. But he needs to know that he's hurt you, otherwise he can't fix the problem."

Diana's shoulders hung in defeat. "That's assuming he even loved me."

Aphrodite laughed again. 'Of course he loves you! How could he not?"

"His actions don't match up with those of a man in love." Aphrodite glared at Athena, while Hera ignored her comment.

"Diana, have you thought about what it would look like for you and Bruce to be back together again? What things you would expect from him? What it would look like for him to love you?"

"I have, but it seems I know very little of the relationships between men and women…I thought he might have been in love with me, but you wouldn't be here if he had. I think I would rather know what you have to say about it."

"If a person loves you, they will respect you and want to know everything about you. There will be desire to help you improve and grow into the best person you can possibly be," answered Athena.

"Love is delighting in and desiring, not just the physical, but everything that the beloved is, and the commitment to keep the attraction burning, no matter what it takes," was Aphrodite's reply.

Hera was the last to have her say. "Remaining true to one's promise to love and cherish the other, and having the humility and grace to work through all issues and problems, not ignoring or condoning the evil that has been committed, but learning to forgive and help the other in their weakness. It is commitment."

Diana sighed, reminded again of how good things had been between her and Bruce. "All those I had, but the last. He has chosen to go alone."

"If he means that much to you, convince him otherwise."

"I don't know how."

"You will eventually learn that," Aphrodite assured her.

"Can't you just tell me?"

"Unfortunately, dear, it doesn't work that way. There are only two possibilities. Either you will be reunited, and you will get to experience all the aspects of love that we have spoken of, and even more. Or you will heal and be made better for the grief you have experienced. Have hope."

"But having hope is what is making this so difficult. If I just knew one way or the other if Bruce and I could work things out, it would be so much easier."

"Do you want the easy way or do you want actual growth?"

Diana looked down at the floor, knowing that an answer wasn't expected from her.

Diana saw the feet of one of her goddesses approach. A warm hand lifted Diana's chin. Looking up into the benevolent face of the queen of the gods, Wonder Woman received her blessing. "Peace be with you, daughter." Diana closed her eyes, as she leaned into the hand of her protector. When she opened her eyes, all three goddesses were gone, and she was still as confused as ever.

* * *

Bruce anxiously waited outside the wedding chapel. All of the groomsmen had congregated in the foyer as they waited for the bridal party to arrive. His stomach fluttered in anticipation. He was going to fix everything today.

He turned when he heard the sounds of footsteps approaching, and his throat tightened when he saw Diana. She'd only been back for a week or so, and he still hadn't gotten used to seeing her. Her hair was swept up into a twist and adorned with white flowers. Bruce was thankful that Lois was confident enough in herself that she didn't force her attendants to wear the legendary hideous bridal dresses. However, Diana missed Bruce's appreciative glances. She was too busy straightening out Lois's gown.

The wedding coordinator called for everyone to pair up. Bruce stepped forward and grabbed Diana's hand. Still distracted with helping Lois, she jumped at his touch.

"Lois, you look well."

"I know." The reporter's eyes narrowed when she looked at him. Bruce knew she hadn't approved of what he had done to Diana.

"And so does your maid of honor," Bruce added. Lois smiled, appeased. Then she shooed them away to their place in the processional line.

Bruce took Diana's hand and tucked it in his arm. She stared straight ahead. He leaned over and whispered in her ear. "I wasn't joking. You look incredible." He felt her stiffen beside him, and her cheeks took on a lovely pink hue.

"Diana, aren't you going to say anything?"

"I can't believe Clark is getting married." She still kept looking forward, but at least she was speaking to him.

"Or Lois," he said.

Bruce saw her lips begin to form a smile, but then it disappeared. He raised his hand to her face, startling Diana. She turned to look at him, and he saw the confusion in her blue eyes. "What are you doing?" she asked.

This time when he caressed her face, she didn't jump back. "Diana, I need to speak with you."

"Now?"

Bruce gave her a charming smile. "Later. If that's alright with you."

"I don't know. I'm going to be pretty busy after the ceremony."

"With what?"

Diana looked away. "It's time for us to go." Something was clearly bothering her, and he wanted to know. He vowed to find out later. Bruce squeezed her hand, before accompanying her down the central lane of the church.

As he walked with her and watched Clark beaming at the front of the church, he allowed his mind to wander. What would it feel like to be where Clark stood, waiting for Diana instead of Lois? Would he be grinning as ridiculously as the Boy Scout? He knew he would be happier, but he couldn't quite picture himself displaying it in that way.

Out of the periphery of his vision, Bruce stole a glance at Diana, wondering if she were having similar thoughts.

They finally made it up to the front, going their separate ways. Bruce made up for the loss by staring at Diana during the entire ceremony, even when Lois processed in.

For the most part, Diana kept her eyes steadily fixed on the bride and groom. Only once he caught her looking over at him, when Clark was saying his vows to Lois. Her face was difficult to read. Her eyes were open and searching, while her lips were pressed together firmly, as she smiled thinly at him. He smiled back at her, and she turned her attention toward Lois and Clark again.

When Clark and Lois sealed the covenant with a kiss, Diana smiled beautifully. In fact, with the exception of when she looked over at him, various stages of delight flitted across her features. It relieved Bruce that Diana liked the ceremony. At least, she didn't find the idea of marriage entirely repulsive.

When it was their turn to walk back down the aisle, she still wouldn't look at him. After they made it outside of the chapel, he quickly led her down one of the halls connected to the foyer. Taking advantage of all the commotion, he made sure no one noticed their disappearance.

Finding an empty room, Bruce shut the door behind him. When he turned around, Diana was all the way on the other side of the small room.

"Lois is going to be wondering where I am. And Clark too."

"Why?"

She rolled her eyes, though he could tell she wanted to smile. "We have duties as their maid of honor and best man. We can't just go hiding in closets. There is a reception to go to."

"I really don't think they would mind."

"I mind." Bruce saw Diana pick disinterestedly at her dress as she teasingly asked, "Besides, don't you have a date waiting for you?"

"No. I came alone."

Diana looked up, and Bruce smiled at her surprise. "That's…different. What about the papers? And your reputation?"

Bruce joked back, "I'm a groomsman. It's customary for them to get lucky with one of the bridesmaids."

Diana sighed, and Bruce wasn't sure, but he thought he saw disappointment flash in her eyes. "Is that why we're here? I'd rather not be one of your many conquests."

Bruce ignored the stinging he felt in his chest and began to walk over to her. He stopped when she crossed her arms defensively across her stomach. "I told you I wanted to speak with you," he said.

Diana stood there in silence, waiting for him to continue.

"I'm sorry for what I did to you."

"It's no big deal; if we returned now, they wouldn't even know that we left."

"That's not what I meant, and I think you know that."

Diana shrugged. "What's done is done. I told you that I was fine with it. You did what you had to do. I understand."

"What do you mean, 'what I had to do?'"

Diana opened her mouth, but no words came out.

"You don't even want to know _why_ I did it?"

"Look, Bruce, I know you feel guilty, but I'm fine." She put her hands on her hips and smiled broadly. "See. Don't beat yourself up over the past." As soon as the words came out of her mouth, Bruce's eyes locked on hers. He tried to hide the emotion that was there, but he could tell that she saw it by the way her eyes softened.

They were very familiar words for him. She had said that to him almost every time they talked about his parents and the responsibility he felt toward them. The reminders of their former intimacy were making it harder for Bruce to breathe.

Diana's arms fell to her side, and she walked over to him. She stopped just short of the reach of his arms. "Are you ok?"

He grabbed her and held her to him, burying his face in her hair. "Diana…" The words he wanted to say stuck fast in his throat.

Bruce pulled back and earnestly searched her face. Her mouth was pursed in a frown, and he saw the indecision that clouded her eyes. For the first time, he could see for himself that she hadn't been alright during the past few months. He felt relieved.

He brought his hand up to her face again and smiled. "Will you forgive me?"

Her breathing quickened and she narrowed her eyes at him before removing his hand. "I don't know if I can."

Before Bruce could pursue it any further, there was a gentle rapping at the door.

Without another word, Diana quickly walked past Bruce and opened the door. John was staring into the room, looking embarrassed. "Uh, are you two coming to the reception or what?"

"Of course." Diana smiled and swept out of the room.

John looked over at Bruce and gave him an apologetic look. "Sorry to interrupt, but Shayera made me."

Bruce raised an eyebrow, and then walked out of the room, intent on following Diana.

He stopped when he saw her talking with Shayera and Kyle Rayner.

Kyle was about six feet tall, with a medium build. He had short black hair and bright green eyes. Bruce begrudgingly admitted that he was decent looking, though he also thought this Green Lantern was a tool. Kyle was smiling at Diana too widely, and Bruce didn't like how he held onto her hand longer than a normal handshake required.

Bruce gave a satisfied smirk when Kyle's eyes met his. Kyle dropped Diana's hand like it was a hot coal.

From behind John quietly said, "Go easy on the kid; he doesn't know who you are. And it was Shayera's idea to have him be Diana's date."

"They're on a date?"

Bruce didn't wait for an answer, exiting the church without giving Diana another glance.

* * *

Diana sat in silence next to her wedding date. He wasn't very talkative, and she was too busy thinking about what Bruce thought of her. She knew she shouldn't have agreed to being set-up. Still, it was her fault, not Kyle's.

"So, Kyle, do you go to weddings often?"

He looked startled that she was addressing him, so she gave him what she hoped looked like a friendly smile.

"Uh, no. Actually, I try to stay away from these things."

Diana laughed. "But you agreed to be in John's wedding."

"He's a friend. I made an exception."

"I hear that men in general dislike weddings. That the idea of commitment scares them."

Kyle shrugged. "I guess. For me, it just brings back bad memories."

"Have you been married before?"

"Almost."

"If you don't mind me asking, what happened? Did you get cold feet?"

"Actually," Kyle cleared his throat. "I was never engaged. They died before..."

"They? As in more than one?"

Diana felt tears prick in her eyes. She supposed it was one blessing that had come from Bruce dumping her. She didn't discount people's pain as much, and she had greater empathy and sympathy for their problems.

Diana reached over and put a hand on his arm. "I'm truly sorry. It must be very difficult for you to be here."

He gave her a tentative smile. "Well, being here with you certainly makes it easier." His eyes widened, realizing that his words could be misconstrued. "I didn't mean it like that. I mean, you're beautiful and everything, but I know I don't stand a chance with you. But I wasn't hitting on you. Ok, I'll just shut up now." He took a swig of champagne and looked away, uncomfortable.

Diana laughed. "Don't worry, Kyle. I know what you meant. Anyway, to tell you the truth, I don't want to be here either. But, I'm enjoying your company."

"Well, look at the bright side. At least you aren't a bumbling idiot. And we get free food." He placed a forkful of chicken in his mouth. "Mmmm."

"You aren't a bumbling idiot."

"But I'm certainly not smooth either."

"Some women would find your boyishness charming."

"But not you?"

Diana smiled, but didn't answer his question.

"So I take it there is a reason you don't like weddings either."

"I don't know that I would say I don't like weddings, and I was overjoyed at seeing my closest friends exchange vows. Let's just say I haven't had the best of luck when it comes to relationships either."

"Dead fiancé?"

"No." Out of force of habit, Diana's eyes strayed over to a nearby table. Bruce was looking angrily in her direction.

"Jealous ex-boyfriend?"

"What?" Diana looked back at her date, surprised at his words.

"I just thought that guy over there might have something to do with it."

Diana bit her lower lip, contemplating whether she should talk to a complete stranger about her relationship woes. He seemed nice enough, and it seemed like he knew a thing or two about broken hearts. Probably much more than her.

She nodded her head and quietly said. "I doubt he's jealous, but he is my ex."

"And you don't want him to be?"

"No, I don't."

"So, who is that guy?"

"Bruce Wayne."

Kyle let out a low whistle. "_The_ Bruce Wayne? You sure know how to pick them." Diana swallowed at the knot that was developing in her throat. Kyle saw it and said, "Hey, I'm sorry. But he's an idiot if he doesn't want to be with you."

"I'm sure he had his reasons."

"He didn't tell you why?"

"I wouldn't let him."

Kyle looked at her and gently said, "Diana, you should talk to him."

Diana's face clouded over. "I'm not sure that I will like what he has to tell me."

"Or he might just surprise you."

"I don't know if I can handle being back with him. It hurt so much when it ended; I don't think I could do it again."

Kyle was fiddling with his napkin, deep in thought. A few moments later, he mumbled, "Yeah. That makes sense."

"Would you?"

"Would I what?"

"If you could do it all over again, knowing that you could lose everything, would you date those women again?"

Diana was surprised that he didn't even have to think about his answer. "In a heartbeat."

The Green Lantern looked up at her again, and her heart twisted when she saw the anger and sadness in his deep green eyes. It probably mirrored her own. Diana almost laughed at the situation. "This is supposed to be a happy occasion, and here we are, being miserable."

"Sucks doesn't it?"

Diana looked around at the other people in the room. They were smiling and laughing. A lot of them were dancing and drinking champagne. She remembered the goddess's words: _Those feelings will fade away…you can do things that will help lessen the pain. That has always been in your power. You are not a slave to love._

Diana made a hasty resolution. She was going to have fun tonight. Turning to her date, she replied. "Yes, it does…suck."

He smiled at her. Probably from her use of the vernacular of Man's World, she decided. It didn't quite roll of her tongue the way it did his.

Diana continued, "But there are plenty of reasons to be happy too. Two wonderful people were married today. And as you said, the food is very good. And we are both alive and healthy. We should take advantage of that. Would you like to dance?"

She held out her hand, and he took it. "Sure. But just to warn you, I've never done this whole ballroom dancing thing. Ever."

"No more excuses. Let's go."

* * *

Bruce watched as Kyle placed his hand in Diana's. He would have laughed as Wonder Woman led him out onto the dance floor instead of the other way around, but he felt like choking instead.

Needing some air, he walked out onto the balcony. But he couldn't keep his mind off the pair. He turned and looked through the windows.

Bruce knew that Diana was graceful in everything she did, and they had danced a few times. Those times he had held her in his arms, she floated across the floor, light as a feather.

In contrast, Kyle moved like a leaden weight.

Diana was laughing at him as he tried to figure out where to put his hands. She helped him out, placing one at her waist and the other in her hand. Bruce's fists tightened at his side. He knew he shouldn't watch this; it was only making him feel worse, but it was like a train wreck. He couldn't look away.

The couple took a few steps before Kyle stepped on her foot. She stumbled slightly, and they tried again. After the third time it happened, they were both laughing. She switched their hands, so now she was leading Kyle.

Bruce heard someone walk onto the balcony, and he turned away from the window. He internally groaned when he saw that it was John Stewart.

"What are you doing out here? It's freezing."

"It was hot in there."

"Riiiight. It doesn't have anything to do with your woman having a good time with another guy?"

Bruce took the champagne flute John held out for him and downed the bubbly liquid in one gulp.

"Diana is not my woman."

"And whose fault is that?"

Bruce glared at his so-called friend.

John gazed back, unflinching. "You have no one to blame but yourself. Diana was head over heels in love with you. Probably still is."

"Funny you would think that, as she never told me that herself. Besides, _if _she were in love with me, she would be out here with me instead of dancing with that clumsy idiot."

John shook his head. "I don't get you, Bruce. Do you even love her?"

Bruce cringed at John's words. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Why are you out here instead of in there trying to win her back? Did you ever think that perhaps Diana is wondering the same things as you? Like why aren't you in there dancing with her, instead of Kyle?"

"Again, if she wanted to be with me, she would be here."

"You are the one who ended it with her. As far as she is concerned, you don't want to be with her, and Diana isn't going to grovel to get you back. And out of curiosity, did you ever tell her that you love her?"

"She should know."

"How?"

"I didn't come here with a date. I even said I was sorry for what I did. I'm surprised you don't remember, since you walked in on us when it was happening."

"Sorry about that, man." John leaned against the balcony ledge, looking off into the distance. After a few more moments of silence, he cleared his throat. "Bruce, it's going to take a lot more than that to win her over. When Shayera…did that, I thought I'd never forgive her. I know that what you did is nothing close to Shayera, but you need to start looking at this from Diana's perspective, not yours. Do you realize how much you've hurt her?"

"How am I supposed to when she hardly even speaks to me?"

"That should have been your first clue. Do you really think she left Themyscira just to plan for an embassy? And how long would that even take? You've been so busy being upset over your own actions that you didn't take the time to consider why Diana was acting the way she was."

Bruce didn't know what to say. He was beginning to feel guilty though.

"Diana would kill Shayera if she knew I was telling you this, but there's another reason she hasn't been around you. She thought you broke up with her because she was interfering with your mission. She didn't want to make things harder for you."

That was so typical of her. But what wasn't was her dismissal of her own feelings to his face. She had never lied to him before.

"Why didn't she just tell me?"

"I don't know if you have ever noticed this, but there are a lot of similarities between me and Diana, and you and Hawkgirl."

Bruce looked over at John incredulously. The ex-marine was a poor imitation of Diana.

"Now hear me out. When Shayera left, I swore to myself that, as much as it was in my power, I would never let her know how much she hurt me. You don't think that Diana could have done the same thing?"

"Diana wouldn't lie to me."

"Of course she would. You're just hurt because you thought that she _couldn't_ lie to you, that you two had such a connection, that you should have been able to see through her. But it doesn't work like that. There isn't some mental connection that couples have; or if there is, it isn't possible without both people being completely honest and vulnerable with each other. As soon as you ended things with her, you forfeited that place of confidant in her life. Why would she share anything with you?"

Bruce's eyes drifted over to the dancing couple again. She looked so beautiful, smiling and laughing at Kyle. It made him want to tear the boy apart. "Does she look unhappy to you?"

John sighed, but kept going. "I even started dating Mari so I could forget her. Lucky for you, Diana has better principles than I do. She is doing this as a favor to Shayera and me, since they are both going to be our wedding attendants."

Bruce still looked unconvinced.

"Fine, I'm tired of playing your love guru. Believe what you want to believe. I didn't tell you these things, so you could retreat into one of your guilt spirals. If you want her, you are going to have to fight for her. And it might be harder than you think. She is going to want proof, not promises. Don't do anything stupid."

Bruce didn't say anything as John left him alone on the balcony. He was too busy brooding over Diana and Kyle again.

If she wanted to forget him, he would just have to work harder on forgetting her.

* * *

**To Be Continued**

* * *

To my anonymous reviewers...

d- I'm glad you enjoyed the other two engagements. One wedding down, two more to go. Do you think you can make it? Do you think Bruce and Diana can?** :D** I hope to deliver the happy ending that makes the angst worthwhile. Thanks for your review and kind words.

Jypsee- Hopefully your technical difficulties have been fixed. Thank you for taking the time to let me know what you thought of the story. I hope this chapter is pleasing to you after such a long wait. Sorry about that. Hopefully, I will update sooner in the future.

Luke- thanks for the review and command! Seriously, your review forced me to sit down and type out a bunch of stuff. So feel free to work your motivation magic on the next chapter. **:D**

Joseph187- You are totally right. Why doesn't J'onn just step in and do some kind of Vulcan mind meld between Bruce and Diana? LOL, but then there wouldn't be very many stories. I just realized, I haven't put J'onn in this story at all. Maybe he is sitting off in some corner, laughing his head off at the silly issues his teammates have. Anyway, thank you for the review.

* * *

Every time you review, an angel gets its wings.


	4. Gravity

Disclaimer: I disclaim everything.

You go, Kipling Nori! Thank you for your awesomeness and sonic beta-ing skills. In thanks, I give you and U-CB blackberries. You can use them when you are on opposite sides of the enclave. LOL, that made no sense, but whatever! Cake!

To my readers. Thanks for still reading. I have to say, this story is such a downer. I'm used to writing and reading happy BMWW, and this is not. And the song choices I've used...I love the songs, and I think they are beautiful, but they aren't the stuff I usually listen to. But it's fun to try writing differently. Anyway, I apologize if this story is too depressing. It won't end that way. And it should end either in the next chapter or the one after that.

If anyone is curious, I have been working on Stranger 5. Hopefully I can post it in the next two weeks. Sorry it has taken me so long.

* * *

**Wedding Bell Blues**

**Chapter Four: **

**Gravity**

* * *

Something always brings me back to you.  
It never takes too long.  
No matter what I say or do, I still feel you here 'till the moment I'm gone.

You hold me without touch.  
You keep me without chains.  
I never wanted anything so much than to drown in your love and not feel your rain.

_Gravity_ by Sara Bareilles

* * *

Forgetting Diana wasn't easy. Bruce started dating again, though he knew trying to forget her that way was pointless. In spite of that, he wanted to send her a message: he was over her. It wasn't true, but she wouldn't know that.

His true efforts to bring about amnesia were focused on burying himself further into his work—whether it was as Batman or Bruce Wayne.

He put in such long hours that there was no time left to think of anything. As soon as he woke up, he was off to work or down in the cave tinkering on some new weapon for his arsenal. At night, he would return from patrol exhausted, and as soon as his head hit the pillow, he was asleep. But it was there that all his hard work came to naught. It was one thing to reorder his waking moments, but his sleeping mind was another thing entirely. It was out of his control. Diana would enter his thoughts unbidden and, for the first time, unwanted.

Diana's rejection of him in preference of Kyle had hurt Bruce deeply, probably more than he was willing to admit. What angered him most was that he actually thought things would end differently. He had been almost certain that she wanted him back.

But Diana's actions did not match with those of a woman who loved him. Whether she was interested in the Green Lantern or not, Diana had chosen to spend her time with Kyle just moments after Bruce had practically bared his soul to her.

The only thing Bruce could be certain of now: he had allowed his hopes to undermine his common sense.

Bruce's head had been turned by everything Clark and John had said. Looking back now, he realized that their words were irrelevant. He had to look at the facts, the first and foremost one being that Diana had never told him she loved him. Secondly, Diana might (or might not) like Kyle. He wasn't truly concerned either way. It would have been impossible for Diana to form a strong attachment so quickly after meeting Kyle. However, the very fact that she was on a date with him was indication enough that she had chosen to move on.

Bruce wasn't stupid. He knew pining for her was distracting him from his mission. When they had been together, it had actually helped. Before Diana, he had always sought to protect his city to the best of his ability, but her knowledge of his work gave him extra incentive to be that much better. But things had changed. Diana wasn't coming back; it was time for him to move on as well.

The hardest thing to let go of was his anger. Even though he knew it was his fault, he had difficulty keeping his rage at the situation directed completely at himself. It was easy to blame others, especially Diana. If she had been anyone else, this would have been easier. He wouldn't have been in this position at all, and he resented her for that.

Hoping that the old adage "Out of sight, out of mind" was true, Bruce studiously avoided her. Restricting his Justice League duties wasn't difficult. Not considered a full-time member, expectations of his participation had always been low. Attendance at meetings had always been optional, and for the last month, he had opted out. The only news he received on Wonder Woman were the alerts his computer gave.

Bruce knew that he couldn't run away forever. Still, he tried everything in his power to delay the inevitable. He had succeeded until a few of Arkham's unsavory nutcases joined together and escaped the asylum. The Joker, Poison Ivy, and Killer Croc were currently running loose all over downtown Gotham. Very unwillingly, Bruce called in for help.

J'onn's response was immediate. Right before Bruce's very eyes, a very familiar form materialized.

The month's separation had done nothing to diminish her loveliness. If anything, she looked more beautiful. Batman nodded his head tersely, "Wonder Woman."

He caught the uncertainty in her eyes, but then it disappeared. In a firm voice, she informed him, "Flash will be here any second."

As if in response to her words, the Scarlet Speedster zoomed to a stop right next to Diana, causing Bruce's cape to flutter slightly around his ankles.

Flash leaned against Diana, a gangly elbow resting on her bare shoulder. "Hey, Bats, long time, no see, eh?"

"This isn't the time for pleasantries."

Flash looked over in surprise at Diana, who had said the harsh words. "So much for a happy reunion," he said. "Where are the bad guys? I call dibs on Poison Ivy."

It wasn't necessary for Bruce to say where the villains were. All three of them came into view when the convertible they were in turned the corner. They were followed by two other similar cars filled with heavily armed Joker's clowns. Their arrival was accompanied by the shouts and screams of people running away in terror, along with radios blasting the melancholy strains of "Send in the Clowns".

The Joker was standing in his seat, conducting an imaginary orchestra while Poison Ivy drove straight towards them. Placing herself between Batman and the car, Diana planted her feet. When the car reached her, it came to an abrupt halt, throwing the Joker from the automobile.

Flash raced to catch the flying test-dummy, making sure he didn't end up splattered on the pavement.

"Where are my manners?" The Joker gave Flash a loud kiss on the cheek, causing the Speedster to dump him onto the asphalt and claw at his face in disgust.

The lunatic in the purple leisure suit stood to his feet and casually brushed himself off. "Or should I say, where are _your_ manners?" His lipsticked mouth spread into a grotesque grin directed at Batman. "I never received an invitation to the party. How embarrassing."

Killer Croc exited the vehicle and picked up a nearby mini-van, complete with a soccer mom and two young boys seated inside. "Yeah, where are our invites?"

Poison Ivy was still flooring the car, and the smell of burnt rubber filled the air. Diana's nose wrinkled at the pungent fumes. Holding the car in place with her left hand, she punched her right fist through the hood of the car and after a second or two, ripped out the engine and tossed it to the side. The wheels stopped spinning just as Killer Croc hurled the van at Diana. She caught the vehicle before flying away with it.

Using the distraction, Poison Ivy slipped out of the car. "Well, I should probably be going."

Batman cleared his throated behind her, and she slowly turned around. She placed a hand on her hip and cooed, "Hello there, tall, dark, and handsome. It's been a while."

"Not long enough."

The redhead shook her head disapprovingly. "Is that any way to talk to an old friend?"

She waved her hand and the trees that lined the streets uprooted themselves and began stalking towards Batman.

He turned to run in the opposite direction, but at that moment, Diana reappeared from where she had safely deposited the family. She tossed her lasso to Flash, and without warning, scooped Bruce up in her arms. He looked over her shoulder and saw Flash grab Poison Ivy and wrap her in the golden coils of the Lasso of Truth. The trees dropped to the ground instantly.

Bruce turned back to glare at Diana. The scent of her skin filled his nostrils. Angry at the pleasant mental associations that assaulted him, Bruce growled, "I could have handled it."

"You're welcome," Diana said before placing him down.

Their pleasantries were interrupted by Killer Croc throwing another car at them. This time, there were no occupants, so Diana swatted the projectile back at him, knocking him unconscious and trapping him under the steel.

Batman saw that Flash had tied Poison Ivy and the Joker together. Blaring sirens added to the fracas, announcing the arrival of the Gotham police force—just in time to round up the criminals.

But even this respite was brief. All three superheroes had forgotten about the Joker's clowns in the other two cars, who had done nothing but watch the proceedings. The Joker placed his thumb and pointer finger at the corners of his lips and emitted a shrill whistle. The demented clowns started shooting randomly, spraying bullets into the air. Batman expertly dodged the projectiles, but looked away for a millisecond to see if Diana was alright. His attention was torn away by a bullet that passed cleanly through his left shoulder.

He stumbled to a nearby alley and watched Diana dispatch the rest of the clowns. Deflecting the bullets was second nature to her, and the pings against her bracelets sounded like little bells going off. Seeing that they couldn't harm her, and that they were just making her very angry, the clowns dropped their weapons and started running. Flash and Diana quickly rounded them up.

The pain in Bruce's shoulder was intense but manageable, though he needed to get to the batmobile so he could go home and have Alfred patch him up. Unfortunately, his car was located across the way. Hoping not to attract attention to himself, lest they discover his injury, Bruce retreated further into the shadows of the alley, waiting for Diana and Flash to go away, so he could send for his car. While he waited, he leaned against the wall and sank to the ground.

From his location, he could see Diana dust herself off. She helped a few of the more shaken up pedestrians get help from the medics and law enforcement on the scene. It looked as if few people were injured, and the wounds they had sustained weren't serious.

Bruce saw Flash and Diana confer together. Afterward, Wally sped away, but Diana remained. The pain in Bruce's shoulder was beginning to throb harder, and he silently willed her to leave. But she was looking around quite urgently, obviously distressed. She lifted her hand to her ear, and he heard his com-link go off.

"Batman?"

He forced himself not to be affected by the concern he heard in her voice, reasoning that was just the way Diana was. Because of the pain, his breathing had quickened, so he waited a few seconds before gruffly stating, "Thanks. I'll take it from here."

"Where are you?" Just as she asked, he saw her look his way. While her hearing wasn't quite as good as Superman's, it was still magically enhanced, and she had heard his voice coming from the alley.

Wonder Woman flew towards him. He tried to stand on his feet, grasping for his grapple to make a quick escape. However, the loss of blood made him dizzy, and he stumbled forward into her arms. Her eyes swept over him quickly and widened when she saw his shoulder. She gently touched the area then looked at her fingers, which were covered with his blood.

"Oh, Bruce…"

He hated her seeing him like this. Through bared teeth, he practically snarled, "I'm fine!"

She dropped her hands to her sides and looked at him. The expression of worry and hurt was so clearly visible, he felt bad for being rough with her. But then he saw the resolve enter her eyes. She glared at him before lifting him to his feet. He grew faint from the sudden movement.

"J'onn, Batman was shot. Please ready the infirmary."

Bruce felt the fuzzy sensation that always occurred when he was teleported to the Watchtower before he passed out.

* * *

Diana bit her lip in worry as she looked down on him. He was sleeping off the painkillers J'onn had administered. Diana knew Bruce wouldn't like the enforced bed rest, but she was glad for it.

It had been nearly a month since Lois and Clark's wedding, and she hadn't seen him since. He had left that night without speaking to her again.

Diana was too smart to think his departure had been for any other reason than Kyle, especially after what had happened in that small room right after the wedding. She knew she had hurt Bruce by leaving, but he had hurt her too. It was petty, but she told herself she had better reasons for not sticking around.

She had no idea if Bruce meant to get back together with her. His apology could have just been to clear his conscience, though it probably wasn't. He wasn't the type to do something solely for his own comfort, but Diana didn't know his reasons. If it weren't to get back with her, she would be crushed. But dating him again wasn't something she was willing to entertain either. Running away had seemed like the only viable option.

Their four month separation had given her plenty of time to go over why a relationship with him was a bad idea. Bruce had given at least two very good reasons before they had even started dating. Looking back now, she realized how foolish she had been for not listening.

The first excuse—that dating within the League always led to disaster—had lost its cogency. There were many successful relationships among the superheroes. But the other things he had said shouldn't have been dismissed so easily.

Bruce had serious issues. True, he had shared more than a few with her, and surprisingly soon after they began dating, but there were still things he kept to himself and would most likely continue to keep to himself. She hated being left out, and a majority of their fights centered around his inability to let her help him. For all she knew, one of his issues had been the cause for their breakup. Besides, given her current state, she wasn't sure he was strong enough to deal with her issues. It wasn't like her problems were all going to disappear just because they were back together again. Could he handle the hurt he had caused her, or would he just run away again? It would be much worse to come to him in her own emotional weakness, only to be rejected again.

Another of his reasons was that their enemies would use them to get to each other. It had been the reason they had kept their relationship secret from all but the founding Justice League members, Lois and Alfred, which was a whole other problem in itself. While they dated, Bruce Wayne the playboy had practically dropped off the map, though he occasionally made appearances with some bimbo to maintain his image. She had nothing to worry about, but it always drove Diana insane with jealousy. She had tried numerous times to convince him that they should take their relationship public, even volunteered to get her own secret identity, but Bruce adamantly opposed it. Again, she did not see him bending on this if they started dating again, and she was tired of people not knowing that they were together.

Her immortality should have also given her greater pause. As she looked down at the sleeping Bruce, she remembered the sensations that had nearly overwhelmed her when she saw him injured today. And that was only because of a routine (in their line of work) flesh wound that probably did not need the care and attention she was affording it. If they got back together, and she lost him to death permanently, she would eventually recover, but for what? It wasn't a prospect she even wanted to think about, let alone live through.

Because of her great desire to be with him, she had also overlooked the disapproval of her mother and sisters. As the possibility of a relationship with Bruce arose, she found herself making concessions that none of her sisters would have made. In her duties, she remained as responsible and driven as ever, but Bruce had supplanted everything. She had traded what she knew of herself to be with him. Now she was a different person. She could change her priorities, but would never again be that Amazon Princess who had landed in Man's World so long ago. At the time, it had seemed worth it, but she doubted their past happiness made up for her present grief.

When Diana told Bruce she was unable to forgive him, she wasn't trying to be cruel. Those words had been borne out of anger and fear of him. And because of those feelings and all her doubts, she had allowed Bruce to keep his distance during the past month. After all, it had been his wish for things to return to what they were before they started dating, and she was trying to leave that chapter of her life behind.

But looking at him now, she realized she had never escaped him.

Diana stared down mournfully at Bruce. The black cowl covered most of his face, but she caressed his exposed skin, her heart warring against her thoughts. She had Aphrodite's capacity to love, but where was Athena's wisdom? If Diana was rendered so wretched by her heart, shouldn't that be a sign she had given it too much power over her choices?

Closure had not come from avoiding him and trying to ignore him. For some that would have worked, but Diana recognized it as cowardice in herself. Time wouldn't heal her wounds. A more proactive approach was needed. Hera was right; Bruce should know how much he had hurt her. Maybe he wouldn't change. Even if he did, Diana wasn't going to take him back. Regardless of his reaction, Diana had to do this for her own peace of mind.

She withdrew her hand just as Bruce began to stir. He sat up and reached for the glass of water beside him. After he drank, a scratchy voice accused, "You shouldn't have stayed."

"But I did."

"Why?"

"I need to know why you did it."

"I was willing to tell you that at Clark and Lois's wedding." Bruce started to climb out of the bed, but Diana pushed him back.

"Then you shouldn't have any problem telling me now."

She was determined he wouldn't leave until she had her answers. He must have sensed this because he leaned back against his pillows, gingerly crossing his arms. "I don't see the point."

She looked over at him, finally dropping the mask she had worn in front of him since that night at the Manor. "It would help me."

"Help you what? Get over me so you can move on with Kyle?"

Diana's eyes dropped back down to the bed. Guilt flowed over her, but it was replaced with anger. She didn't belong to Bruce. He had no right to be upset with her. He had ended things first.

"Don't be stupid. You know I don't care for him that way."

"But you don't care about me either."

Diana rolled her eyes at him, knowing it would drive him crazy. "Why do you always have to make everything about you?"

He sat there stone-faced and motionless. Diana threw her hands up in exasperation. "Fine! Tell me, Bruce, how have _I _hurt _you_?"

For a second she thought he wasn't going to answer her, but he flatly said, "You lied to me."

Diana didn't deny it.

"You let me believe that you were ok with what I did."

Diana looked down at her lap, where her upturned fingers lay, needing something to hold. "What was I supposed to do? You told me you wanted things over. I _thought_ I was interfering with your mission, and I know how important that is to you."

"You took it so easily. Like those six months meant nothing to you." The anger and betrayal in his voice made Diana flinch.

"They meant _everything_, and so did you."

When he didn't respond, she looked up. His mouth was still set in a firm line and his jaw was clenched. He raised his hand and took off his cowl. His eyes were a brilliant blue, the color heightened by the moisture that glistened around them.

"Diana, I'm sorry."

Bruce seemed so forlorn, and she knew she looked the same way. She was so tempted to reach out for him and let him fix everything that he had broken, but she remembered her earlier vow to be wise. Diana's hands closed into fists, her resolve straightening her spine. Her eyes locked with his and she quietly said, "I want you to know how terribly you hurt me. I tried hiding it before, even fleeing to Themyscira to recover. I didn't want to make things harder for you. I thought," her voice broke, and she steadied it before continuing, "I thought I could handle it. But when Flash mentioned those stupid newspapers—

"None of which was true," he interrupted.

"But what about the recent stories? Can you tell me you weren't with those women?"

"No, but you know why I have to do that."

Diana closed her eyes, unable to look at Bruce as she continued to speak. "I know they mean nothing to you, but they mean something to me. And I know it seems hypocritical, since I was at the wedding with Kyle. Part of me did it as a favor for Shayera, but I also wanted to get back at you, because I was so angry at you for hurting me." She looked at him again, "For that, I'm sorry."

"That's why I dated those women too."

Diana was too heartbroken to acknowledge the ironic smile Bruce gave her. Athena was right. Love led to nothing but disappointment. It was toxic, causing pain to everyone it infected.

Utterly disappointed, Diana continued. "I never wanted things to end. I went to your house that night hoping you would tell me you loved me, that I was something special to you. I wanted so desperately for you to love me. And then for that to happen..."

Diana dragged air into her lungs, forcing herself not to cry. "Did you know you were my best friend?" His face contorted with sorrow and shame, but she forced herself to smile, even though she felt she might crumple from the exertion. "Did you know I loved you?"

"No."

Diana shrugged her shoulders, a small laugh escaping her lips. "I wanted you to say it first."

Bruce reached for her hand, but Diana withdrew it. If he touched her, she would never leave.

"Diana, I was wrong, and I've regretted it ever since. I want you back."

It took everything within her to stand to her feet.

"Nothing has changed, Bruce. _We_ haven't changed. If I took you back, it would only end the same way."

Bruce clearly disagreed and was about to speak, but Diana held up her hand. Taking a second to compose herself, she continued. "It may not seem like it, but this is for the best. And I'm sorry if I'm hurting you, but I needed to tell you. I know it's selfish, and that I should be able to get through this myself, but you were my help for so long, and not having you to talk with these past months has been…really hard. I'm hoping that in letting you know, I can finally begin to heal. Do you understand?"

She could tell that he was confused and embarrassed by her rejection. He opened his mouth, and she braced herself for an angry attack, but nothing came out. When he finally spoke, it was only to say, "Yes."

"Do you have anything else to say to me?"

He shook his head. She leaned forward and gently pressed her lips to his forehead. "Thank you for all that you were to me." Then as quickly as she could, she fled from the room.

* * *

Only two weeks went by before Diana saw Bruce again. Impatient to be married, Shayera moved the ceremony forward. As she explained to John, she didn't need a big wedding. She was perfectly content with a civil ceremony, attended by their closest friends and family. When John tried to change her mind, she threatened to get cold feet and elope with Sir Justin.

The wedding was finished in under twenty minutes. While only a select handful attended the ceremony, hundreds were invited to the reception at a large restaurant in Detroit.

Diana was seated with Kyle at the table where the bride and groom sat. Directly in her line of sight was Bruce Wayne, sitting next to a beautiful brunette. He was deliberately not touching her, much to his date's obvious disappointment. The woman kept trying to get him to talk to her, but he was too busy staring at the maid of honor. Diana squirmed under the attention.

Kyle leaned over and smiled. "So we meet again. How are you this time?"

She tore her gaze away from Bruce and smiled back at Kyle. "Better."

"Good. I've been practicing how to dance, so that this time I can actually lead."

"And hopefully not step on my toes?"

"I didn't practice _that_ much. In fact, forget I mentioned it. I don't want to raise your expectations. It's better to keep them low. That way I won't disappoint you."

Diana laughed. "What a pessimistic view."

Kyle shrugged. "It works." He took a sip of his wine, then set it back down. "I see your admirer is here again. How many superheroes does this Wayne guy know?"

"A lot. He provided a vast amount of money for both of the Watchtowers."

"Probably to get close to you."

Diana didn't say anything.

"I see you're not denying it. Has he tried to get back together with you?"

"Yes."

Kyle looked at her in surprise. "And you said no?"

Diana nodded her head in confirmation.

"Wow. You're a lot stronger than I would be in that situation."

"If you like him so much, I can introduce you to him."

"Ha ha. You know what I meant. Seriously though, it doesn't bother you that he's here with another woman?"

"Getting back together with him isn't a good idea. I've thought it through, and I don't know if it would be worth it. Since I am the one who said no, I shouldn't be angry with him for having a date."

"Usually people don't think with their heads in these situations."

"That's where I went wrong the first time. I don't plan on making the same mistake twice."

"So it's not that you don't want to be with him."

"What I feel is irrelevant."

"OK." He looked at her skeptically.

"What?"

"You promise not to take this the wrong way?"

"No."

"Well, do you at least promise not to beat me up if I say something you don't like?"

"I've only had one glass of wine. I think I can exercise enough self-restraint."

"In that case…I still think you are allowing your heart to dictate your actions."

Diana leaned forward angrily. "If I did, I would be with Bruce."

"Look, all I'm saying is that, fear might be driving your decision more than you think it is."

"Good thing I didn't promise not to take this the wrong way."

"I didn't say you were wrong, but it's something you should consider. Are you happy?"

"No, but that doesn't mean anything. Criminals take pleasure in evil things; their happiness doesn't validate their actions, anymore than my unhappiness should invalidate mine."

"True, but being in love with someone isn't exactly the same thing as committing a crime. At least it isn't something that we in the Green Lantern Corps defend against." When Diana didn't laugh at his joke, Kyle continued. "Do you think you could be happy with him again?"

"Yes, but--"

"But nothing. The rest is hypothetical."

"So is my potential for happiness with him."

Kyle scratched his head. "I guess you're right, but you're coming across as more Batman than Wonder Woman."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing really. It's just that he's the one who's into cold, hard logic. I thought you were more about faith and hope."

Diana stiffened. "While I thank you for your concern, faith and logic aren't mutually exclusive. I think I know what is best for my well-being." She stood, and Kyle grasped at her wrist. When she glared at him, he released it.

"You're right. I have no business butting in, and I'm sorry. Don't be angry…please." He gave her a boyish grin, and Diana sat back down.

"I'm sorry, Kyle. I know you are just trying to help. It's just that you aren't the only one who is trying to get me back together with him. I'm hearing it on all sides. Shayera, John, Clark, Lois. And it's not like it was easy for me to say no to him. I just want someone to see my side."

"I understand what you're saying, but I'd hate for you to be ruled by fear. Life's too short, and you're better than that. But at the end of the day, if you don't think it's worth it, if you don't think _he's_ worth it, then you shouldn't go back to him."

Diana glanced over at Bruce who was looking curiously at her and Kyle. Bruce really was an admirable person, worthy of her respect or anyone's for that matter. It was the chief reason she had initially fallen for him. If anyone deserved happiness and love, it was him. But at what cost to herself? She hadn't lied to Kyle. She was feeling better. Before it was like she was drowning, but that talk with Bruce had given her a lifeline. She was still adrift, but at least she had the strength to tread water.

It was too difficult a decision to make at the moment. Diana looked away from Bruce and back at Kyle.

"Thank you."

"It was nothing."

She grabbed his hand, causing him to look at her. "No. It wasn't. Not many people are brave enough to talk like that to me. You are a true friend, and I appreciate it. Even though I'm not sure I agree with you, I still needed to hear that. You're a great person, and I hope you find someone who deserves you."

"You wouldn't happen to have a sister?" he joked.

Diana laughed and excused herself from the table. "I think I'm going to step outside for a few minutes. Clear my head."

"Don't forget, about the whole dance thing."

"I won't."

Diana snaked her way through the crowd, exiting through a pair of open French doors.

* * *

Bruce closely scrutinized every interaction between Diana and Kyle. It was a bit difficult with his date clamoring for his attention, but he was an expert at surveillance and ignoring annoying people.

He had been too blinded by jealousy to see it the first time, but Diana was right. There were no signs of affection from either Kyle or Diana, just friendly camaraderie.

By the looks they kept giving him, it quickly became apparent they were talking about him, and he would have given anything for some electronic listening device. When he saw Diana get angry with Kyle, he almost went over to see what was wrong, but caught himself before he did anything rash.

Since his talk with Diana, he hadn't stopped thinking about her, and he allowed himself to do it freely. Seeing her pain, he was able to let go of his anger at her. Now it was solely directed at himself. Bruce knew he wanted more, but if he couldn't have that, he would settle on helping her get better. And perhaps, if he was patient enough, she would take him back.

When she left the room, he waited a minute before telling his date he had to visit the men's room, then slipped outside.

He found Diana staring up at the night sky. Due to the lights of the city, there were hardly any stars visible, but Bruce knew she wouldn't be bothered. Her mind was clearly elsewhere.

"Hey."

Diana turned around, startled by his sudden appearance.

"Hi."

The loud music from the restaurant made it difficult to hear, so he walked over to her, all the while noticing how warily she watched him. Bruce raised his hands, signaling his good intentions. "How are you doing?"

"Good. And you?"

"Better now that I'm out here."

She didn't say anything, but turned her attention back to the sky, crossing her arms in front of her waist. Testing the waters, Bruce rested his hand on her shoulder. When she didn't draw away from him, he soldiered on.

"I've been thinking about what you said to me, and there are some things I want you to know too."

He took his free hand and brought it to her chin, forcing her to look at him.

"I should have told you this a long time ago…I love you."

She angrily swiped her hand over her eyes, and he could tell she was embarrassed by her display of emotion. She opened her mouth to protest, but he placed a finger on her lips. "Let me finish. I know you think this doesn't change anything, and maybe it doesn't. But…whatever you want, Diana, I'll do it."

They stood there for a few moments, and he could see her weighing the possibilities. She looked over his shoulder, and in seconds her entire demeanor changed. Her blue eyes flashed in anger, and Bruce knew a most unwelcome visitor had joined them.

"There you are, Bruce! I want to go," a sultry voice called from behind him.

He didn't turn around to look at his date. "Sorry, Annette. I can't leave just yet."

"But, Bruuuuce, it's late. I have a photo shoot in the morning, and it's a two hour flight back to Gotham."

Bruce lowered his voice so Annette couldn't hear them. "Diana, will you wait here? I'll be back in less than five minutes."

"Go."

Diana hadn't promised him anything, so Bruce had to work as quickly as possible. Turning back to Annette, he ushered her into the restaurant. "I'm staying, but I'll call you a cab to the airport."

She grabbed his hand and stopped him in his tracks. "I thought we could go visit your place when we got back."

"You said you had a photo shoot in the morning," he impatiently reminded her.

"I do, but sleep is overrated." She gave him a coy look. Considering what he knew, her feigned innocence was laughable. She would sleep with anyone if she thought it would further her career.

Out of patience, Bruce observed, "Those bags under your eyes might beg to differ. But if you aren't worried about it, then neither am I. Let's go back." He took her hand and began their walk again.

The model gave Bruce a horrified look. She ripped her hand out of his grasp and slapped him. "Forget it! I can get a cab myself."

Bruce rushed back outside, heedless of the gawking witnesses. He breathed a sigh of relief when he saw Diana still standing right where he had left her. Her back was ramrod straight, and he knew he was in for a battle.

"So, where were we?"

"I can't remember. Perhaps you should ask Annette."

"I have a feeling she doesn't want to talk to me."

Diana didn't respond, though he imagined she looked approvingly at the red imprint on his face. For a person who barely ate, Annette was surprisingly strong.

Taking the initiative, Bruce walked in front of her. He thought about touching her, but dismissed the idea immediately. She looked angry enough to break off his limbs.

"Why did you bring that woman here?"

"I didn't do it to hurt you."

"Well, you did."

Bruce took a menacing step forward, but stopped. He didn't want to bully her. Exasperated and irritated, he asked, "What's it going to be, Princess? You can't have it both ways. Either come back or learn to deal with it. You said no to me, remember?"

"Correct me if I'm wrong, but you still dated those women even when we were together," she sarcastically replied.

"For our safety."

"For someone who appreciates his safety so much, I would think you'd understand why we shouldn't be together." Her quick change of subject told him she was having difficulty keeping up her defenses. Bruce plunged forward.

"You're worth the risk."

For some reason unbeknownst to him, his words shook her. Taking the opportunity, he pressed his suit. "It doesn't have to be like this."

"Of course it does. Don't you remember…" Her voice trailed off when he took her hand in his.

Raising it to his mouth, he gently kissed her palm, "I remember." She offered little resistance as he moved his hands up and around her back. Pulling her close, a twinge of satisfaction shot through him when she rested her head on his shoulder. The familiar stirring of her breath on his neck was a welcome sensation. He had missed it these past months. "I remember how good it was. We can have that again."

Bruce moved so that he could see her face. She was so beautiful and so close. Forgetting his early idea of moving slowly, he leaned in to kiss her.

His mouth hovered above hers, and they were nearly touching when she said, "No." It was half-hearted, and if he wanted to, he could have overlooked it, but he knew if things were to ever work between them, he had to listen to her. But that didn't keep him from asking,"Why? Don't you want this?"

Diana sighed. "It's not that...I want you too. I just don't feel safe with you. How do I know that you won't do this again?"

"Because I won't."

She didn't look convinced.

Having never wanted someone so much in his life, Bruce didn't know what to do. His emotions were quickly coming to the surface, and as strong as they were, it was getting harder and harder to rein them in. He leaned his forehead against hers. "If you could just read my mind, know how much…" He took one of her hands and placed it over his heart.

"That didn't stop you before."

Bruce rolled his head to the side, trying to alleviate the tension building in his neck and shoulders. He wasn't accustomed to proving himself to anyone. Reminding himself that she really was worth all the effort, Bruce said, "You're right. But if you let me, I'll show you that you can trust me again."

Bruce held his breath as he waited for her answer.

"I need more time to think about it."

Bruce tried to shake his disappointment. It wasn't the answer he wanted, but it was much better than a no.

"Take all the time you need."

"Thank you."

Diana rested her head on his shoulder again, and he held her as the music from the restaurant continued playing.

* * *

**To Be Continued**

* * *

To my anonymous reviewers

TE FA- Thank you. I hope you like this chapter as well. :D

Adasakura - Hopefully this was worth the wait. Thank you for the review.

d - Yeah, I couldn't have Bruce not try to fix things. I'm not trying to turn him into some jerk. And maybe this isn't the most realistic way things could happen, but I like to think it isn't too farfetched. I could imagine them both being angry and confused, and since they're not really on speaking terms, there is potential for misunderstanding. They're both adults, so I don't think they will act super childish, but they've both hurt each other pretty badly, Bruce moreso than Diana. But in the end, things will all be OK and fantabulous, as BMWW should always be. And thanks for the Alfred idea. I hadn't thought of that. But it makes sense. I will add it to the upcoming chapter. Thanks for the review!

batsy - I think we got the email situation sorted. But if you didn't get my review replies, let me know. Thanks!

Status Quo - Sorry it's too sappy for your tastes, lol, but I can't really take the weddings out now. Part of the reason I'm writing this is because I love the idea of marriage and what a healthy one can signify. I got the whole idea for it while looking at some comic about Black Canary and Green Arrow getting hitched, and just threw in the other two because it provided an easy framework and gave BMWW reason for bumping into each other when they probably would have avoided one another. It also provided a setting other than the workplace. Hopefully there is enough angst in here for you though. :D Thanks for catching the missing words. I went back over the previous chapter and tried to fill in the blanks. As for why I had the other characters talking to Bruce and Diana about it...I figured Diana and Bruce were too hurt to do much of the talking themselves, especially to one another. Besides, I just wanted their friends (and gods) to get to be in on their healing process, rather than them trying to fix everything themselves. Another thing, I guess I didn't want them getting too caught up in thinking that the other person didn't love them, especially when they really did love one another. While they are denying it based on their own doubts and hurt feelings, their friends (who hadn't been injured) would have a better perspective on the whole matter and know just how much they actually mean to one another. I always planned on having Bruce and Diana talk (what they do in this chapter and will continue to do until the end of the story), I just thought it was too soon to have them do that. But it wasn't merely simple stupidity. Their actions were driven by doubt and fear of getting more hurt. And yes, Bruce did act a bit stupid at the end of the last chapter and even at the beginning of this one, but I think he wises up considerably in this one. Hope that explains why I did what I did.

* * *

Thanks for reading!


	5. Just the Way You Are

Disclaimer: I disclaim everything.

Thanks for the beta, Kipling Nori. I give you a cloning machine, so you can make duplicates of your favorite people **:D**. I know who the first person will be, lol.

* * *

Don't go changing, to try and please me  
You never let me down before  
Don't imagine you're too familiar  
And I don't see you anymore  
I wouldn't leave you in times of trouble  
We never could have come this far  
I took the good times, I'll take the bad times  
I'll take you just the way you are

I said I love you and that's forever  
And this I promise from the heart  
I could not love you any better  
I love you just the way you are.

-William Joel

* * *

** Wedding Bell Blues**

**Chapter Five:**

**Just the Way You Are**

* * *

Bruce wasn't able to stay much longer afterward. Gotham still called. With extreme reluctance, he said goodbye. Diana's hold around him increased for a brief moment, just enough to give him hope. As he flew back home in his jet, he focused on that. She had given him a chance, and he had to make sure he didn't blow it.

The next day he sent her an arrangement of her favorite flowers.

The day after that, it was a box of chocolates.

On the third day, he sent her a necklace and earrings, with stones as blue as her eyes.

Now, four days after John and Shayera's wedding, Bruce still hadn't heard from Diana.

She hadn't promised she would take him back, but he at least expected her to contact him, make some kind of acknowledgement of his efforts. The old Diana would have come down to the Cave to thank him the same day he sent her anything. Unable to deal with the worry and anxiety her uncommunicativeness was causing him, he resolved to see her in person.

Checking the Watchtower computers to make sure she was on the satellite, Bruce teleported himself and made his way down the halls to her quarters.

Making sure no one was watching, he knocked on her door.

"Come in."

When he entered, she didn't look up from the book her nose was buried in. While she continued reading, he quickly scanned her room. It wasn't much different from the last time he had been there, expect every trace of him had been removed. He found it mildly disturbing.

Diana finally looked up, surprised at her visitor. "Sorry about that. I just wanted to finish the paragraph I was on. If I had known it was you, I would have stopped reading."

Encouraged by her friendly tone, Bruce sat down next to her on the couch, removing his cowl and looking her in the eyes. She immediately lowered hers. Before he could see anything, she quietly asked, "How is your shoulder?"

Taken aback, he brusquely said, "It's fine, but I didn't come here to talk about that."

"Alright, but I can't talk long. I have some things I need to do."

"Why haven't you contacted me?"

"I haven't been able to. I have a meeting in four days with corporation and government heads. I'm trying to raise funds for my project, and it's been keeping me busy."

He looked pointedly at her book, which she had set down on the couch between them. _Persuasion_. He gestured to the tome, "Anything useful?"

She laughed. "It's not that kind of book."

He went to pick it up, but she quickly removed it from his line of sight. Her cheeks turned slightly pink.

"Seems like you wouldn't have time for light reading seeing that you're too preoccupied to make a simple phone call."

"Bruce, your gifts were lovely, but I've been busy."

"I know when someone is avoiding me. That isn't your style, Diana."

His words had the opposite effect of what he intended. Instead of responding to his challenge, she drew further away. "I'm merely prioritizing. I think you of all people would understand that."

It pained him to know he wasn't as important to her as she was to him. Swallowing his wounded pride, he said, "Fair enough. Do you need any help with your meeting?"

She hesitated before answering, "Thank you, but I should probably do this by myself."

He tried to hide his hurt at yet another of her rebuffs, but she saw it anyway. Expecting her to say something kind and consoling, he was even more confused when she stood up and walked towards the door.

"Is there anything else, Bruce?" she asked.

He ignored her hint and stayed on the sofa. "Why are you acting like this?"

"It's only been four days. I can't just make a snap decision on something this important. You told me I could take all the time I needed."

"Telling me you need more time is different than completely ignoring me. If you don't want me, just tell me. I don't like being misled."

"And I don't like being bribed."

Angered, he finally stood up and walked over to her. "You think that's what I was doing?"

Diana didn't say anything, but refused to break eye contact with him.

"You know me better than that. _I_ know you better than that," he said.

After a few more seconds of glaring at each other, Diana nodded her head. In a defeated and tired voice, she said, "I know."

"Are you deliberately trying to hurt me?" he asked quietly. It would have served him right, but he hated the idea he was responsible for the cold and distant woman before him.

"No!" She answered so strongly, Bruce was relieved. "I'm trying to make sure I don't get hurt," she continued.

"And is it working?"

"No." Diana inhaled deeply, and released her breath in a loud sigh. "I don't like saying these things to you and keeping you at a distance."

"Then stop doing it."

"I'm sorry, Bruce, but I have to do this."

Diana walked back over to the couch, and he followed her. Answers were coming, and he waited patiently as she gathered her thoughts. Minutes later, she turned back to him, a sad smile on her face.

"Bruce, I still love you. If I had followed my instincts, I would have come to see you the second I got those flowers and told you that I wanted nothing more than to be with you."

That was not what he was expecting.

"And that hasn't changed. Even though I'm preparing for this meeting as best I can, I am constantly thinking of you. I would much rather be spending time with you than going over what I'm supposed to say to those strangers…I told you before that you mean everything to me. That hasn't changed either."

Bruce was elated at her confessions. She had said these things before, but after four days of not hearing from her, he had begun to wonder. He felt stupid for doubting her now, but his worries weren't over quite yet. There was a "but" coming.

"But I did that last time. I'm sorry if I sound like a broken record, and I don't want to keep talking about how you hurt me. It's not fair to you, and I want to move past that. We need a new beginning. But it's really important that I see we've both changed. I don't want to make the same mistakes. "

She brought her hand up to his face and caressed it gently. "I see how hard you are trying, and I can't tell you how much I appreciate it. I loved the flowers and chocolate, as you knew I would. And the jewelry is beautiful. I was happy to receive all your gifts, because I know they mean you are thinking about me. The fact that you are even here, trying to figure out how to make things better, speaks volumes. And when you told me you loved me…"

Watching her intently, he turned his head slightly so that his mouth was touching her palm. She briefly closed her eyes, inhaling deeply. When she opened them, her blue eyes were alight with emotion.

"You've changed, Bruce, but I haven't. You know how I am. I throw myself completely into everything I do. I don't think of consequences, I just follow my heart. And where you're concerned, that desire is multiplied fifty times over. But I can't always be doing that. When I lost you, I felt like I lost myself. That wouldn't have happened if my identity hadn't been so wrapped up in you."

Bruce removed her hand from his face and wrapped her delicate fingers with his own. "So you are trying to prove to yourself that you don't need me?"

Diana nodded her head, and he could see she was worried about his reaction.

"Diana, you never needed me. If I thought that you did, it would have driven me away."

"You say that, but you weren't there after you dumped me." He grimaced at the words. Dumped, as if he considered her a piece of trash to be removed from his life. She couldn't really believe he thought that of her, could she?

"I will never put you in that situation again."

"You say that, but how can I know?"

He was so close to telling her about his wishes to marry her, but something held him back. It was hard enough having flowers and candy rejected. He knew he couldn't take having his offer of a shared life dismissed too.

Bruce stood up, pulling his cowl back over his face. "I should probably be going. You need to prepare for your meeting."

Diana's mouth opened, and for a second he thought she would protest, but she closed it. Giving a brief nod, she said, "You are right."

Walking him to the door, she gave his hand a tiny squeeze. "Thank you for understanding."

Wishing that were actually true, he bade her goodbye and slowly walked back to the transporter room. If his shoulders hung slightly lower, no one seemed to notice.

* * *

It was six in the morning. Bruce had started patrol early that night, needing a distraction from his encounter with Diana. He had returned at four, but was unable to sleep. Deciding it was a lost cause, he made his way down to the cave.

He was going through his case files when a cup of coffee was placed next to him. Bruce reached out for the drink automatically. The steam rose, warm against his mouth, and he inhaled the strong scent of the black coffee. After taking a sip, he said, "Thanks, Alfred."

"Anything else I can do for you, sir?"

"Perhaps."

"Woman troubles, Master Bruce?"

Bruce swiveled his chair around and looked warily at his butler. His hands rubbed his forehead tiredly before speaking. "Actually, yes."

"Which woman?"

Bruce felt a twinge of insult that Alfred even had to ask, but kept his face schooled into a mask of indifference. He couldn't, however, help letting the irritation seep into his voice as he responded, "There's only one."

"Ah. Miss Diana. What seems to be the matter?"

"Everything."

"I see."

"She's just so different from before." Bruce saw Alfred lift a curious eyebrow, prompting further explanation.

"I went to see her yesterday. She basically told me she needs to prove to herself that she doesn't need me."

"Did you do anything to bring this on?"

"Directly, no. Indirectly…it's my entire fault. I just don't understand her. She knows I…care for her, and she told me she feels the same way. But she won't talk to me, she won't come here, she avoids me. She's overcomplicating something that should be simple."

Alfred gave him a commiserating pat on the shoulder. "Well, Master Bruce, it seems you have met your match."

Bruce's hand clenched around his coffee mug. "Thanks."

"No thanks necessary. Just an observation. And I have a few others, if you care to hear them."

"Not like I have a choice in the matter."

"Perhaps Miss Diana does not want to share certain parts of herself with you anymore. The last time it happened, it was quite disastrous for her."

"I _know_ that." Bruce dragged his fingers through his hair again. After he had calmed himself, he said, "But things are different now."

"How?"

"I've let her know how important she is to my life."

"That doesn't erase what you've done or the last four months."

"There isn't anything I can do about that. I can't change the past."

"That's true, but Miss Diana, I'm sure, is thinking about that as she charts out what kind of future she wants for herself, and what role she will allow you to play in it."

"If she allows me to play one at all." The idea of not being with her made Bruce's stomach lurch. "Alfred, why is she keeping me out?"

"Why did you keep her out?"

Bruce sighed. It was time to tell Alfred everything.

"I was on the verge of proposing to her that night. And then I allowed myself to get scared about a future with her. Fifty years from now, if I even make it that long, what will I be able to offer her? I can't even protect her now, let alone when I'll be a feeble old man."

"I wasn't aware that the Princess required that kind of protection."

"She doesn't. But I need to know that I won't be a burden to her."

"I would think that Miss Diana feels the same way."

"Why would she think she's a burden? After Clark, there isn't anyone more powerful than her."

"As I understand it, the Amazons are a people who consider males superfluous. They are independent and self-sufficient."

"Exactly. Now you know why I didn't want to saddle her down with my baggage."

"Focus, sir. This isn't about you, but the Princess."

Bruce threw an angry glare at Alfred, but kept his mouth shut.

"And yet, in spite of all those things, she went against her code. She loves you, correct?"

"I think so. Or at least she did."

"So, the Princess of the Amazons went against established tradition, fell in love with one of her enemies, only to have her sisters proven right. She risked quite a lot to be with you, sir. And in the aftermath, I imagine that she is acting in ways she doesn't consider very Amazon-like."

Even though it killed him to admit it, Bruce nodded. "I made her cry. More than once." The admission was painful.

"You also made her retreat. To Themyscira and other places."

"Other places?"

"To the Amazon ideals that would have protected her. And perhaps she now wonders if you fell in love with the woman she once was. Just like you, the Princess doesn't want to be a burden. Especially when the man she is involved with has so many issues himself."

"The way you describe me, I wonder why she wants to be with me at all."

"One of life's little mysteries, no doubt."

"What should I do about it?"

"If you want her to open up to you, be more transparent with her. I recommend starting with telling her why you ended your relationship."

"I don't know if I can."

"Then I'm out of suggestions, sir."

"What if she won't listen?"

"What did she do with you when you didn't want to talk with her?"

"She forced me."

"Sounds like an excellent plan…Will that be all, sir?"

"Yes, Alfred." He heard the man start walking up the stairs. "And, Alfred?"

"Yes, sir?"

"Thank you."

"It was my pleasure, as always. I am very fond of Miss Diana. I hope to see her back in the Manor very soon."

"Me too."

* * *

Four days after her meeting with Bruce, Diana was staring at her reflection in a hallway mirror. Her hair was pulled back in a bun, showing off the most recent necklace he had given her. The Wonder Woman suit was taking the day off, replaced with a fashionable black pencil skirt and jacket. She dusted off some imaginary lint before pushing open the heavy wood doors.

Sitting at a large, rectangular table were the heads of various corporations. Having dealt with beasts like Darkseid and Mongol, Diana was confident she could take on the men before her.

She strode in confidently, walking to the head of the table, but her stride faltered just a little when she saw Bruce Wayne. While the misstep was small, a few people caught it and glanced over at Bruce just as he gave her a wink.

_What was he doing here?_ His name hadn't been on the list of people she had been told would be in attendance. She should have known better. Gotham was his city, after all.

Ignoring him, Diana took her place at the head of the table. She went through her presentation, and if she were honest with herself, she did very well. Giving a smile to her listeners, she asked, "So, gentlemen, any takers?"

Her presentation ended, the men started talking amongst each other. It wasn't long before Bruce's voice rang out over the small din. "Wayne Enterprises would be happy to completely fund the startup costs for your embassy building."

The man sitting to his right looked over at him in shock, "Don't you think that's a bit excessive, Bruce?"

"It's a sound investment."

"What kind of profit do you expect to make from a foreign embassy?"

"I didn't say it was monetary."

Diana stood there flabbergasted, unable to keep the beaming smile off of her face. Finding her voice, she said, "Thank you, Mr. Wayne, for your kind donation."

"I didn't say it was a donation."

"Oh?" Diana could feel all eyes on her. "I have nothing to offer you except my gratitude and a tax write-off."

"I'm sure we could come up with something. Perhaps a date?"

"I'm not sure that's a good idea," Diana hedged, looking at the others at the table for some help.

"Come on, Princess. For world peace."

Bruce's table mate finally jumped to her aid. "If it's any consolation, Wonder Woman, he's like this with all the women. I'd just ignore him."

"Duly noted. Well, seeing as I have my financial backer, I suppose this meeting is at an end."

After shaking her hand goodbye, the men began congregating in groups about the table, catching up with each other. She caught snatches of conversation and laughter, most of it focused on Bruce Wayne and his insatiable appetite for women.

Bruce walked up to her and snaked his arm around her waist. "So, Wonder Woman, when should I pick you up?" Her stomach dropped at the wolfish grin he was giving her.

She removed his hand, trying not to blush under the scrutiny of so many prying eyes. Under her breath, she hissed, "What are you doing?"

"Making it public record that Bruce Wayne is infatuated with Wonder Woman."

She tried to sound outraged at his presumptuousness, like she would have been during her first months in Man's World. "Is this really necessary?"

He leaned forward, and she hated herself for not moving away. His voice was low, tickling at her ear, "If you are going to be Bruce Wayne's girlfriend, yes."

She recognized what he was promising. There would be no more pretense of other women. No more cause for jealousy on her part. She ignored the way her heart seemed to expand two sizes.

As the men continued filtering out of the room, Diana began gathering her papers, organizing them into their proper folders before setting them in her attaché.

When she was done, Bruce and her were the only two people left in the room. She could sense him standing behind her and to the right.

"Congratulations, Diana. You did great."

"Only because of you."

"Even if I hadn't contributed anything, you would have easily gotten enough money."

She felt his hand at her waist and his mouth close to her ear. "Nice earrings. And necklace."

She refrained from bringing her fingers up to the gifts he had given her. If she had known he was going to be here, she wouldn't have worn it.

While she thought of that, Bruce had already moved on to a different subject. "I was thinking that we could do dinner tonight. Maybe at the Manor."

"I don't know..." The last time she had been there, things hadn't gone so well.

"Is your only objection the location?"

Diana turned around. Bruce's voice had been light and breezy, but his eyes held a touch of worry.

"You sure are persistent."

He smirked at her. "I know what I want."

Diana allowed herself to smile back. Things had been so serious between them that she wanted to enjoy the lighthearted banter. It had been a while since they had been able to share it.

"And if I want Italian food?"

"I know just the place." He looked down at his wristwatch. The meeting had begun at eleven, so Diana knew it couldn't have been later than 12:30. "What about lunch too?"

"You only asked for one date," she reminded him.

"This is different. I want to talk business."

"Such as?"

"Where my room in the embassy will be located. I'm assuming, of course, that you will be abandoning the Watchtower when it is completed."

"I hadn't thought that far ahead."

"All the more reason we should stick together."

She felt him take her hand, lacing their fingers together. He leaned forward, pressing his lips softly to her temple, and she closed her eyes, inhaling the familiar scent of his aftershave. "I'm proud of you, Diana. You were magnificent."

Goddesses, she wanted to give in so badly. She was tired of pushing him away when all she wanted him to do was hold her. Exhausted from having to pretend at strength she didn't have, knowing all the time that he was offering his own. And now that he was doing everything in his power to be with her, she feared she would ask too much, push him too far, and he would disappear. Her eyes began to sting at that thought of losing him again, but she blinked away her tears.

He led her to the door, but she stopped him before they entered the hallway.

"If we do this, it's going to be different than the last time. I can't just pick up where we left off. We have to start over completely."

"OK."

Diana extracted her hand from his warm fingers. "Good." She walked out the door and called over her shoulder, "I could go for some pizza."

"Whatever you say."

* * *

When Diana had said they needed to start over completely, Bruce hadn't thought she meant it literally. Apart from introductions, they didn't talk about anything more than the superficial. And if he even came close to touching her, she would shy away from him. If it was intentional, she added a disapproving look as well.

After a third date spent in this infuriating manner, Bruce didn't know what to do. He could tell she wasn't enjoying herself. She always seemed so distracted, but whenever he tried to ask her about it, she would close up.

He hadn't particularly enjoyed all those conversations where he heard over and over again how he had hurt her, but he was actually missing them. At least then, she had been letting him in.

He had just come home from their last date, and was seated downstairs in front of the large screen of his computer. A picture of Diana and him from a newspaper from last week was on display. They were in a restaurant. He was speaking with her, but she was looking off to the side, clearly not paying attention.

And just like that, he was at her quarters again.

He was about to punch in her code, but decided to knock instead. There was no answer. As he raised his hand to knock again he heard a surprised voice from behind him say, "What are you doing here?"

He turned around and saw that she was in workout gear. Her hair was in a messy ponytail, and she was glistening with sweat.

"Did I come at a bad time?" he asked.

"No. I just needed a workout."

"Stressed?"

She walked past him and punched in her password, causing the door to open. "Something like that. Is everything alright?"

Bruce followed closely on her heels, so when she turned around their faces were mere inches away. "I wanted to see you again."

Diana let out an uncomfortable laugh, stepping back. "But you just saw me less than a week ago."

Bruce took off his cowl the second the door slid shut.

"Diana?" he said, taking her hand.

He held her eyes for a second, his gaze as honest and open as he could make it, and she looked away. "I need to shower. Will you wait a few minutes?"

He stepped back, again frustrated, and sat down on her couch. "Yes."

While she showered, he pieced together what he should say to her and how he should say it. He had gone in without a plan, and he felt extremely uncomfortable.

She finally reappeared, dressed in shorts and a t-shirt and took a seat beside him on her couch. "So, you've seen me. Is there anything else you came here for?"

He reached over with his now gloveless hand and took a strand of her hair between his fingers. Diana flinched but didn't move away, just sat there silently, holding her breath.

Her hair was still wet, and some water trickled over his hand. They both watched as it landed on the seat cushion. Then, as if on cue, they both looked up at each other.

She was so lovely, his heart caught in his throat. He finally answered her question, "I came here for you."

He sat there, unsure, waiting for a response. Diana's face clouded over. He could see the desire, but it was equally mixed with anger and fear. She moved forward a fraction of an inch but stopped.

The tension was unbearable.

Neither of them would look away. Her eyes were like fire. They traveled down to his mouth, and that was all the invitation he needed.

Their lips crashed together, and it wasn't long before she had pushed him into the back of the couch and was straddling his lap. Her mouth was hot against his, and he knew there would be bruises from where her hands gripped his arms and shoulders. His hands were at her waist, holding her as tightly as she would let him, certain she would disappear the second he let go. Her hair fell over his face and neck, and the cold against his overheating skin sent a shiver down his spine. But then the moisture on his cheek felt warm, and the taste of her lips turned salty; he realized she was crying.

Bruce rested his head against the back of the couch and gently pushed her away. She stared down at him confused, and he gently rubbed circles on her back, seeking to reassure her. Because he was still holding her, he could feel her shaking. She ran an unsteady hand through her hair before getting off of him.

"Diana, just tell me what's wrong."

"I'm sorry." Diana stood up to her feet, angrily wiping away her tears. "Maybe you should leave."

"I've done that enough. You said you loved me. Has that changed?"

"Bruce..."

"Answer the question."

"No. Nothing's changed."

Bruce stood and quickly crossed the room, taking her wrist in hand. She glared, but he ignored it. The frustration he had felt at their situation for the past weeks, the past months had reached its limit.

"Then what is so difficult about this? What are you not telling me?"

He pulled on her hand, but she didn't budge.

"Diana."

"It's too soon."

"How long are you going to make me wait before you talk to me?"

"Until I'm ready."

"I can help you."

"I have to do this myself."

"Why?"

She finally looked over at him, and he could tell she didn't have an answer. Defeated, she sat back down next to him, her head in her hands. "I don't know." Her shoulders began to shake, and he rubbed her back as she silently sobbed.

When she finally spoke, her voice sounded raw with pain. "Bruce, please leave."

His hand was at his cowl, ready to pull it over his face, but he stopped. He had made a promise to her. He would not leave.

"That night…I was going to propose to you."

She didn't look up, but he felt her shoulders rise and fall as she valiantly tried to calm herself.

"But then I realized how ridiculous that would seem to someone like you."

When they had been dating, this was where the old Diana would have interjected some comment about how silly he was being, but she didn't say anything. He never realized until that moment how much of his courage he owed to her.

"You never _needed_ anyone, much less some emotionally crippled stubborn male who hurt you as often as he helped you. And so I tried to figure out why you _wanted_ to be with me. And all I could come up with was my status in the League as the one without powers."

Diana finally glanced up at him, and it hurt to see how red her eyes were. He wanted to look away; it was easier to speak without her watching, but she needed this from him. He had to keep going. "Diana, it might not have seemed like it, but you were…you _are_ the most important person in my life. I could see myself giving up everything for you. Everything."

He watched the meaning of his words sink in, heard her let out a small gasp.

"But if I did that, if I let it all go, if I lost myself in you, I would no longer be that man you wanted to be with. I knew you'd never ask me to do something like that."

"No, I wouldn't."

He grasped her hand and squeezed it gently. He brought it to his mouth and kissed it reverently. "But eventually I'd have to stop. I will grow old. I'm not going to live forever. You're going to stay like this—lovely, perfect, immortal—forever. If we're lucky, I can keep going like this for another twenty, maybe thirty years. After that, you'll be having to take care of me. If I even live that long and you decided to put up with me."

"Hera, Bruce, please don't talk like that."

She fell into his arms and let him hold her as he kept talking. "It was selfish of me, but I wanted you to remember me at my best."

She sighed against his neck, and he felt her finally relax. It was as if a dam had burst, and his skin was soon wet again with her tears. He stroked her hair, waiting for her to stop. He kept whispering over and over his apologies, how much he missed her, how stupid he was for letting her go, how much he loved her. His words made her cry harder, but now that he had confessed everything to her, he couldn't stop.

Her body, wrapped in the protection of his arms, eventually stilled. He waited for her to speak, his heart literally in his hands.

Her voice was hoarse, and her breathing still shaky. "I had to run away, because the idea of seeing you was too much for me. I wanted to curl up and die. If you saw that again, what would keep you from leaving?"

"I'm not leaving you. That is a mistake I will never make again."

"Bruce, I don't doubt you. But this person I've become…I don't like her. I feel broken. I _am_ broken. My heart is full of fear. The very idea of you hurting me again terrifies me. I'm an Amazon. I should fear nothing." Diana laughed joylessly. "I shouldn't even love you."

"I respect your heritage, but there are things the Amazons are wrong about. And you know that; you've known that for years. Why are you letting it bother you so much?"

"Because I'm scared, Bruce! I had these ideas, these dreams concerning us, and when you ended things, I had to give those up. You rejected me, and I had already distanced myself from the Amazons since I'd been in Man's World. I didn't know what to do, who I was, or what to hope for. I still don't. I liked the person I was when I came here. That Diana was strong, she had purpose. I want to be like that again."

"Diana, you can't be that person again."

She looked up at him, her eyes mournful for the loss of her old self. He squeezed the hand he was holding, hoping to impart some strength to her all the while knowing she was being his anchor, as she had so many times before.

"After my parents were murdered, I wanted nothing more than to be my old self. I'm overcautious, harsh, burdened down, and broken, and it drives most people away. Sometimes the isolation is unbearable. But that's part of who I am. I can't go back. You can't go back."

A numb acceptance spread over her face. He struggled to find the words to make the news less disheartening.

"But I wouldn't go back."

"Why not?"

"Well, first, I can't. It's in the past, and there isn't any point trying to wish for things to be different. But my parent's death and life gave me purpose. I've helped countless people, and while that doesn't seem enough sometimes, my life has stood for something."

Diana nodded her head vigorously, her eyes shining with sincerity. "I'm proud of what you've done. And Alfred is too. Your parents would be as well."

Even in her own pain, she found ways of comforting him. He was reminded again just how much he loved her. More than any thing or person he had ever loved before.

He moved his hands to her head, cradling her beautiful face.

"Most importantly, if I did go back, I wouldn't have you. If I hadn't become Batman, I would never have met you."

She looked as if she would cry again, and he kissed her eyes. "It's such a high price," she whispered.

"I know. But your banishment, my parents' deaths, our brokenness, it's made us better people. We might not always like ourselves, but we're stronger for what we've suffered."

"But the old Diana was the person you fell in love with, the one you loved."

"I never stopped, and I'm making the choice that I won't, no matter how you change."

"But-"

"Diana, I love you more now than I ever have before."

Her eyes narrowed in disbelief. "Why? The way I am now, I would have nothing to contribute to this relationship."

Bruce smiled. "Would you really expect _me_ to hold that against you? When you started dating me, I was a closed-off, emotionally stunted ass."

Diana smiled weakly back at him.

"I see you agree. And yet, you accepted me in spite of all my faults."

"Your faults are mostly imaginary."

"So are yours. You are the best woman I know."

Diana had turned her hand over, and her fingers were now absentmindedly stroking his palm. Every cell in his body, every fiber of his being was drawn to her, knew she belonged with him and he with her. It was inevitable. Deep down in his bones, beyond all rational thought, he knew it. That knowledge prevented him from pressing her for another chance. If she needed space he would give it to her. He could wait. He just hoped he wouldn't have to.

When she lifted her face to his, gently placed her lips on his mouth, his heart almost burst.

"I love you, Bruce, and I want to try again."

* * *

**To Be Continued...?

* * *

**

A/N: Wow, almost a year between updates. Sorry! Please Review.


	6. Chapter 6

Hi all. Long time, no nothing. I got some reviews asking for an update on this chapter, and when I went to see what I had written, I realized it was enough for a whole chapter. This is the second to last chapter. I haven't written the last chapter, so there might be a bit of a wait for that. If you're still reading, thanks. I hope you enjoy.

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Chapter Six

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"I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride."

The groom and bride's lips met to a chorus of well wishes and whistles from the audience, which grew even louder as the couple demonstrated their great lung capacity.

"One billionaire playboy down, one more to go." This and similar sentiments were present amongst the crowd's comments, all of which Diana heard from her seat in the congregation. Her smile, the result of Oliver Queen and Dinah Lance's nuptials, faded at the whispered words. Tension made her body rigid. Bruce, sitting on her other side, could not have missed it.

Not wanting to make a big deal out of it, she gave a tiny shake of her head. Bruce's fingers tightened around hers in response, but he looked straight forward.

After the newly married couple processed outside the church, Bruce pulled Diana to her feet. "We don't have to go to the reception," he offered quietly.

It was tempting, but "We already said we would attend."

He grinned, pouring on the charm for anyone who was paying attention. "That doesn't matter. Girlfriends take precedence over business associates. I'm sure we can find more important things to do."

"It's alright, Bruce. I want to go." Her eyes met his. "Really."

He gave her a brisk nod, tucking her fingers into the crook of his elbow before leading her down the main aisle.

The crowd, conversing in little pockets about the church, turned as they approached, their chatter falling to silence. They watched and parted as Diana and Bruce made their way towards the entrance, speaking again as soon as they passed through.

"Three guesses what they're talking about; first two don't count," he said in a low voice close to her ear.

Diana didn't claim to have the power of mind reading, though she was highly aware of her own thoughts. Her face warmed, and he saw it.

"Something you wish to share, Diana? Although, I'd like to remind you, we are in a church."

His humor temporarily jarred her out of her emotional stupor. "Bruce." Fond exasperation tinged her voice, and she tried removing her hand, but his grip was steadfast.

"Tell me what you're thinking," he playfully demanded, though his eyes were serious.

"You first." She had expected silence. He surprised her yet again.

"Probably what everyone else is."

"And that is?"

"What does Wonder Woman see in Bruce Wayne?"

Diana laughed. "It's a fair question."

"Or maybe they're wondering if I'll soon be heading down the aisle with a certain superhero," he said.

"B'wana Beast?"

Bruce raised his brows, amused. "I know you heard the people behind us."

Diana gave a noncommittal shrug of her shoulders.

"I shared mine," he reminded. "Your turn."

"My thoughts…aren't much different from yours."

And then they were outside in the sunshine, the paparazzi snapping and shouting for their attention.

"Bruce, any plans to follow Queens's example and get hitched?"

"Wonder Woman, what do the Amazons think of your relationship with Bruce?"

"When are you going to tie the knot?"

"Are you pregnant?"

Ignoring the rapid-fire questions, Bruce helped Diana into the awaiting car. Once she was inside, he slid in next to her, shutting the door behind him.

Alfred's cheery voice greeted them from the front seat. "Good evening, Miss Diana, Master Bruce. I take it we are heading to the reception hall?"

"Yes," Bruce answered.

"Well, until then I'll leave you to your privacy." A glass partition rose between the front of the car and back seats, filling the silence with the quiet whirring of a tiny motor. But once the screen was up, they were on their own.

"Champagne?" Bruce eventually asked.

Diana nodded her head. "I thought you didn't drink."

"Special occasion. It isn't often a billionaire playboy finds the love of his life."

"Yes, Dinah and Ollie are very lucky to have found each other."

The bottle of champagne opened with a sigh, mist coming out of its mouth before evaporating in the warmth of the car. Bruce offered her a glass, and she reached for the effervescent liquid, ignoring the tingling in her hand as their fingers brushed together.

Bruce poured himself a glass before setting the bottle aside. Leaning back into his seat with his body angled toward her, Bruce eyed her carefully. "I wasn't talking about Dinah and Ollie."

Diana held his gaze over her champagne flute and tried to keep her nose from twitching. The tiny bubbles colliding with her mouth tickled. "I know."

"You aren't acting like it. I thought we were past that."

"We are. I'm just worried that—

"Diana…"

Of anyone she knew, she could most honestly say his was the voice of reason. Really, she should believe him. She would believe him. Biting back her answer, Diana tipped the last of her champagne into her mouth. Putting down the empty glass, she said, "You're right. I'm being ridiculous."

Bruce's relaxed posture changed. His free hand, which had been resting across the back of their seat, moved to his neck, kneading it slowly. "No. It makes sense."

It had been less than a month since Diana had taken Bruce back. Truth be told, things weren't as difficult as she thought they would be. Everything seemed to fall back into place. Until today's wedding. Bruce had said it was a proposal that had led to the unhappiness of the prior months, and there was a part of her that worried how Dinah and Ollie's wedding would affect him. A rather large part.

Now that he was finished with his drink, Diana received the full brunt of his attention.

"I'm not going anywhere." He took another sip of his drink. "Are you?"

"No, but we haven't really discussed that night. Or our views on marriage."

Bruce stared into the seats facing them, his mind clearly hard at work. Time passed, each silent second rubbing her nerves raw.

"Is that what you want?" he finally asked, voice slightly hoarse.

She answered slowly, carefully. "I'm content with things the way they are now."

His jaw clenched, and it was difficult to swallow her discomfort. She thought she had answered correctly.

"Are you unhappy, Bruce?"

"That doesn't matter."

"Of course it matters. I want you to be happy, especially since you are trying so hard to do the same for me."

"I wouldn't have to be trying so hard if I hadn't screwed things up in the first place. I'll deal with it."

Diana swallowed the thickness clogging her throat. "Bruce, I'm not trying to punish you." Hera knew he carried enough on his shoulders. She didn't want to be another source of sorrow in his life.

Diana reached up, brushing the hair that had fallen across his forehead. The motion recalled his gaze to her face, but his eyes were unreadable. "If I haven't said it already, I forgive you. I forgave you a long time ago…right after that time you were shot."

"Thank you." The answer was terse, but she knew it was the best he could do at the moment.

"We're doing well." The statement was firm, and she tried to sound as if she believed it wholeheartedly. She should have; it was true.

"Yes, we are." His grin was half-hearted, and it made her sad.

"But…?"

"I want more."

Diana closed her eyes, felt her heart quicken its beat. They had never broached this subject before, though she had thought of it more and more towards the end of their relationship.

"You want us to have sex." She did not know what to think of that.

The seconds passed without an answer from Bruce. His silence forced her to look at him again, and what she saw made her stomach twist, but in a good way. His eyes were full of desire, and now that she listened for it, his breathing was rushed and shallow. Something on the edge of her vision caught her attention, and she saw his hands close into fists.

"I want more than that," he said.

Diana blinked, confused. "More than that?"

"I want you to trust me, like you did before…I want you to promise you'll stay." His whole demeanor shifted. Any trace of physical longing had been swept aside, leaving behind a vulnerable man.

Before everything had happened, they had been very open with each other, but there were still parts of himself he had kept hidden from her. And now that they were together, she had been learning how to be honest in weakness, how to rely on him without fearing he would withdraw, something she hadn't worried about before. He had been working so hard at being assuring, something she knew was difficult for him. But now she could truly see him, because he was allowing her access. And she realized that the whole time he had been just as scared as she was.

His eyes were haunted, and she knew the ghosts. Thomas and Martha Wayne. Jason Todd. The people he couldn't save. Those parts of himself he had cherished as a boy, been proud of, which had died multiple deaths, first at the hands of Joe Chill, then at the demands of vengeance and his mission. What could have been. Everything of value had been tainted or taken by events out of his control, everything a casualty of that horrible moment in Crime Alley.

But it was more than just loss; she could see regret. The others had been taken from him in a chain of events that had been triggered by that horrible moment in Crime Alley. But Diana was an exception. He had been different with her, more of himself, closer to wholeness. The others had been taken; he had chosen to remove her from his life. As he had since told her, it had been the worst mistake of his life. And he thought he had no one to blame but himself.

"Diana, I want you…" His voice trailed off, but she knew his request. I want you for my own. For always.

He leaned in, kissed her. It was fast, too frantic. Each of his movements was bent on possession, on making her stay—the crush of his arms around her, the fevered workings of his mouth on hers, his teeth on her lips. In the past it might have scared her, maybe even insulted her, but she was familiar with this. After all, she had done the same things to him when he visited her in her quarters just last month. He shed no tears, but they weren't necessary for her to understand he was hurt and afraid.

Breathless, she drew back from him. He stared at her, uncertainty filling his eyes. Taking his face between her hands, she smiled at him. It was a small gesture, a tiny waver of lips, but she could feel its effect on him. "Bruce," her voice almost cracked. She waited for a return of strength. "When you ask me, it can't be out of fear or guilt."

They both deserved better than that. Their choices would not be coerced by doubt. This decision would be a conscious choice made by a free will.

The tension seemed to drain from his body. Resting his forehead against hers, he said, "It won't be."

"Good."

Closing her eyes, Diana leaned forward, pressing her lips against his cheek, then lightly on his mouth. It was slow, sure, everything the other kiss was not. Where he had sought to incite, she soothed. His mouth was pliant under hers, following her direction.

His hands settled on her waist, lightly pressing into her skin. Her own hands were busy as well, threading through his black hair. Every now and again, she drew back, resting her face against his, just breathing in their closeness. Her joy was deeper than before, because she knew what it was like to be without him. She felt more than full, and it came out in thanksgiving to her goddesses for helping her to be both wise and courageous.

When his mouth was unoccupied, Bruce whispered in her ear, against her skin. And Diana answered back. She had heard the phrase to describe these kinds of words: sweet nothings. But the description was miles from the truth. Every word was replete with meaning and restoration.

The two would not have stopped, but the car door cracked open.

"Are you sure you want to go?" Bruce asked.

"We promised." She hoped she didn't sound too resentful.

He nodded his head, then started to move her off his lap. Only then did Alfred open the door the rest of way, and Diana could see he was struggling not to smile. She had no similar compunction and beamed up the man who for all intents and purposes was Bruce's father.

Once outside, Bruce reached back in the car, helping her from her seat. The flash of lights was blinding. If possible, there were even more photographers outside the restaurant than at the church. They asked the same questions. For the most part.

"Did you two have a fun ride on your way over to the reception?"

"Bruce, do your cars have a secret compartment for her lasso?"

She was in too good of a mood to care what they said. Diana stole a glance over at Bruce, and sure enough, his hair and collar were in disarray. She didn't even want to think about how she looked.

But none of it mattered. Not even glancing at the cameras, Bruce lifted her hand up to his mouth, and all she could do was smile back at him. It was glorious.

Fingers intertwined, they made their way into the wedding reception.

Page Break

Bruce watched her dancing with Kyle Rayner, not feeling one ounce of envy or jealousy. It helped that she would occasionally look over at him and smile. The security was freeing, and he rolled his shoulders back, enjoying the slow stretch of his muscles.

"Mr. Wayne, a few questions if you don't mind."

Bruce turned to look at his close friend, nodding his head. The bespectacled reported tugged at the bow tie of his tux, muttering under his breath, "I hate wearing these things. How do you do it so often?"

"Compared to my other suit, this is nothing."

Clark laughed by way of a grunt. "I can only imagine."

"So, what would you like to know, Mr. Kent."

Clark widened his stance, putting his hands in his pockets. "Is there truth to the paparrazi's questions? Will we be seeing a Bruce Wayne wedding any time soon?"

"That's a question for my publicist. I don't comment about my personal life to the press."

"And off the record?"

"We'll see."

Bruce almost stumbled forward from the hearty slap Clark bestowed upon his back. "Good to hear. Lois will be ecstatic."

"You know me, I aim to please."

This time Clark actually snorted. "Right."

They both turned to watch Diana continue to dance with Kyle. "She seems happy," Clark said.

"She is." Bruce turned to look at his friend. Clark's eyes were an even deeper shade of blue than usual. "Are you…crying?" he asked, trying not to sound alarmed.

"What? No!" Clark said, hiding his mouth with his fist as he cleared his throat.

"You're a horrible liar."

"It's just nice to see my closest friends getting along, especially after how miserable you both were…I saw Diana that night when she came back. It's like she's a completely different person."

Bruce felt his stomach tighten. "What was she like?"

"She's clearly over it. Are you sure you want to know?"

"What do you think, Kent?"

"Like I said, miserable. But it's in the past. I'd focus more on your future. Do you know how you're going to ask her?"

"How did you ask Lois?"

"We were visiting her family. I got permission from her father first, and…" Clark blushed. "I took her out to dinner, went to a park afterward. I was nervous, and I assumed she knew it was coming, but she had no idea. And then I was down on one knee, ring in hand. The usual."

"Well, parental permission is one thing I won't have to worry about."

Clark let out a low whistle. "You're really going to do it…Do you think she'll say yes?"

Part of him, that part that always doubted and expected the worst, almost said no. It was like a horrible reflex. But the ride over to the reception was still strong in his memory. She was expecting him to ask, and she was smart enough to demand he do it out of the right motivations.

"I try not to ask questions I don't already know the answer to."

"Right. I forgot who I was talking to."

The song now over, Diana walked back over to Bruce. She smiled at Clark before wrapping her arm around Bruce's waist.

If it were possible, Clark would have glowed with happiness. But Bruce refused to make fun of him, because inside he felt the same way.


	7. Wouldn't It Be Nice

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Yay! I'm finally finished with this. I've been working on Madly, and hoping to finish it so I can then concentrate on Stranger in Paradise. Thanks to everyone who read and/or reviewed. Have a Happy New Year!

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**Wouldn't It Be Nice**

The happy times together we've been spending  
I wish that every kiss was never ending

Maybe if we think and wish and hope and pray it might come true  
Baby then there wouldn't be a single thing we couldn't do  
We could be married  
And then we'd be happy

You know it seems the more we talk about it  
It only makes it worse to live without it  
But lets talk about it  
Oh, wouldn't it be nice

-The Beach Boys

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Bruce stalked back and forth across the room, heedless of his surroundings. There were more important things in his mind than the décor of his dining room. That had already been taken care of long ago. But he still hadn't pinned down the words for his proposal to Diana.

The door creaked, and Bruce's head snapped to see who was at the entrance. An unusually cheerful Alfred. "Sir, Miss Diana has arrived. Shall I see her in?"

Bruce took a deep breath and nodded. "Yes. Thank you, Alfred."

"It is my pleasure, Master Bruce."

Bruce stared at Alfred's retreating form, once again feeling helpless and nervous. No matter how many times he told himself she would say yes, he wanted this night to be perfect. No fumbling, no idiocy, no mistakes. But this had all the marks of a disaster.

They had already been to her quarters numerous times. She had taken lunch with him in Gotham, often in his office. Visited the site of the future Themysciran Embassy. They had even patrolled his city once. But tonight was their first date back in the Manor. Granted, things could not go as badly as they had the last time they were here, but this was a new environment. As a result, it introduced thousands of variables. Why had he chosen it again? The idea of a do-over was losing all its appeal as the seconds ticked by and he realized the ghosts of that night might still be too powerful for the both of them.

But it was too late now, and there was no way he would leave this room without that ring on her finger. It'd been two months since Queen's wedding, and this business needed to be over. It was wreaking havoc on his nerves. More than that, he was tired of saying goodnight to her, tired of entering the Manor and not knowing whether or not she'd be there. But soon that would all change. He hoped.

Bruce stopped pacing, forced himself to stand behind one of the dining room chairs. He gripped the wood backing as he heard Alfred and Diana approach. At the sight of her, he felt gratitude for the sturdy construction of the chair. It was the only thing keeping him up.

Before leaving Diana with Bruce, the butler grasped her hand. The overt show of affection was easily returned. But Diana was always good with making people feel loved. She might have doubted it in that past year, but Bruce knew, once she had healed, her open, caring nature would reassert itself.

"You look lovely, dear," Alfred said, smiling at Diana. After years of frustration and patience, the old man got his way. Bruce was finally settling down, and with a girl Alfred heartily approved of. His favorite, actually.

"I will be in the library if either of you need me," Alfred said, then left.

Diana stood in the doorway, watching Bruce as he stared back at her. She was gorgeous. It was nothing new, but it was also something he could never desensitize himself against. The more he got to know her, the more beautiful she became.

And of course there was her physical appearance. Her hair was up but loose, the dark curls cascading down her back. The dress nearly distracted him, and he followed the black material that skimmed her body from shoulders to just above her knees.

His heart stuck fast in his throat.

It was the same dress she wore that night. Apparently he wasn't the only one planning a do-over.

He grabbed a rose from the vase on the dining room table. Thankfully it had been stripped of its thorns, for he held onto it for dear life as he stepped towards her.

She didn't take the flower from him when he stopped in front of her; instead, she held the hands that held her rose. Raising it up to her nose, she breathed in the rose's scent. It was too much, not being closer to her. Bruce bent his head, burying his face in her neck.

Diana tilted her head back, sighing as his mouth slowly moved up the slim column of her neck. "Bruce," she whispered, pulling him flush against her. The rose fell to the floor, forgotten as his lips met with hers. Somehow he managed to maneuver them back to the chair at the head of the table, even with eyes closed, mouth occupied, and Diana floating in his arms. He didn't trip or stumble, and yet it felt awfully like falling.

He lowered himself into the chair, and she followed, her back resting against the edge of the table as she faced him. Bruce looked into her eyes, searching the blue depths for any trace of sadness or doubt. To his relief, he found only happiness. He leaned in to kiss her again, but she pulled back. "When are you going to ask me?"

So much for waiting until after dinner. Oddly though, having the issue out in the open made him feel much better. Her question managed to dispel all his nerves.

"I don't know what you're talking about," he lied, trying to keep from smirking. He could feel the engagement ring burning a hole through his pants pocket.

Diana moved forward, her breath hot against his cheek. "Bruce, don't make me wait through supper. Ask me now."

"Someone's presumptuous."

The silk of her dress rustled against his suit as she moved closer to him, both teasing and taunting him in equal measure. Bruce's eyes nearly rolled back in his skull. "Are you _not _going to ask me?" she asked, running her finger against the shell of his ear.

"Patience, Princess," he choked out.

"Alright, Bruce, we'll wait." She moved to get off him, and he knew that right now patience was a very stupid idea. Wrapping his arms around her, he pulled her back to him. "I changed my mind."

"I thought you would."

He gave her one last kiss before pulling the small, velvet covered box from his pocket. He opened it and held it up for her inspection. "Do you like it?"

Diana looked at the ring with an appraising eye. Intricate carvings decorated the delicate band of platinum. There were three round diamonds, the largest in the middle, with smaller couplets of deep blue sapphires alternating between the clear stones.

"It's beautiful. Is it…" Of course she suspected. How many times had she been in the entry hall, seen the ring sparkling on the left hand of his mother in the Wayne family portrait that hung there?

"Yes. Does that bother you?"

An immediate denial rested on her lips, but she held back, pausing to spare the question more time. He watched her twist the ring over in her fingers. The ring that signified the deep bond and love between his revered parents. It probably signified much more. A renewed hope that he could find happiness in a normal life. Trust that she would not hurt him. The belief that she could make him as happy as Martha had made Thomas. Things he would tell her, if she asked. But he hoped he wouldn't need to. That she would already know.

"It is a great responsibility. To care for someone's heart," she answered.

Of course she knew**.** Bruce moved his hand to rest over her heart. The warmth of her skin permeated the thin material of her dress, and her heart raced under his fingers. "It is a good thing, then, that I've given you mine. I couldn't trust it with anyone else."

He watched, mesmerized as she parted the collar of his shirt, let her own fingers trail over his chest. She gazed at him, her beautiful eyes shining, just as they had when she looked at him before he'd hurt her.

She pressed her lips to his and whispered, "You have mine as well."

An indescribable ache bloomed in his chest, and he caught his breath at the sensation. Having only known heartache and sorrow for the majority of his youth and adult life, it took a second for him to realize he was experiencing joy. A joy so deep that, even with his near limitless knowledge, there were no words to convey it. Joy and overwhelming gratitude to the woman who gave him this gift. Unable to speak, he savored her open mouth, the softness of her skin beneath his fingertips, the small noises she made as he tried to absorb everything about her and this moment, to keep it forever. And he knew.

It was time.

He pulled away and waited for her eyes to open. Taking her left hand in his, he lifted it to his mouth and kissed her palm. "Diana, I love you. Will you marry me?"

He waited for her answer, breath bated.

Her mouth parted, forming her answer, but no sound carried over her lips. Wiping the tears falling from the corners of her eyes, she swallowed and tried again. "Yes."

"Yes?"

"Of course!" Diana reaffirmed, her eyes widened in shock. "Did you honestly expect me to say something else?"

"No, but a person can never be 100 percent certain," he said, almost sheepishly. "It wasn't insecurity. In my line of work, I've learned to plan for all eventualities.

"Oh, Bruce," she sighed in fond exasperation. "What am I going to do with you?"

This, of course, led to more kisses and reassurances. If the emotion and elation of her acceptance weren't enough to make him dizzy, the things she did to him would have. By the time she convinced herself that he well and truly understood this was one thing he didn't have to doubt, his head felt fuzzy and he had difficulty breathing.

In spite of that, Bruce managed to slip the ring on her finger, though his hands trembled so badly he nearly dropped it. He had a similar problem when, one month later, he added her wedding band to the engagement ring. The only comfort he had in the midst of this unusual display of ineptitude was the fact that Diana's hands were just as unsteady when she performed the same action.

As the priest conducted the rest of the ceremony, Bruce stared down at their joined hands. This was it. Their new beginning. Taking a deep breath, he turned with her and faced the smiles of their friends and family.

"It is with great joy that I introduce to you for the first time, Mr. and Mrs. Wayne."

* * *

**The End**


End file.
